Flying Off the Handle

Ecclesiastes 7:9
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.

A hasty spirit or attitude will lead you in the wrong decisions. When we act out of emotions or in an irrational way we often end up hurting others and ourselves. Here in the south we call it flying off the handle. This illustration is as if we are chopping wood and the axe head suddenly shoots off the end of the handle. You have no idea where that axe head is going to land. There is no way of knowing the destruction that it could cause.

What if you were chopping wood with your children nearby and all of the sudden the axe head flew off? Can you imagine it spinning end over end headed toward a son or daughter? Makes you shiver when thinking about it. Well how much of a difference is there in that situation than when they are around you and you lose total control of your mouth, actions and aim?

If we knew that the axe head was loose, we wouldn't swing at another log. Why? Because we know its potential danger. Anger is the same way. Anger is not a sin. The Bible tells us to be angry and sin not. But hasty anger is nasty anger! This type of anger rest in the bosom of fools. It is in the heart of the foolish. They choose to live with anger in their hearts.

Ask God this morning, right now, to remove any known and unknown anger from you. You don't want to end up looking like a fool because of hasty anger...believe me I know. Make sure that the axe head is secure and that you have your head on straight.