Anger

How many times in the course of a day do you lose your temper? Or say something hurtful to the ones you love? They are an easy target, because you know them well enough that they will probably forgive you. But harsh words still hurt and even though you may have received forgiveness for your loss of temper or angry words, they still leave a mark. Once uttered they cannot be taken back. Let's remember to think before we speak. Here is a story about a bad tempered boy and the wise advice of his father.

NAIL IN THE FENCE

There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His Father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next
few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, and the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence. Finally the day came when he did not lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy
now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails
were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence He said, 'You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence
will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there. A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one.

Proverbs 29:11 (New International Version)
11 A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.

Proverbs 12:18 (New International Version)
18 Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.