Proverbs 19:19 – “A man of great wrath will suffer punishment; For if you rescue him, you will have to do it again.”  NKJV

I cautiously suggest we read this slightly different to garner what could possibly be a more full understanding, “Great wrath will suffer punishment; for you rescue from it, you will have to repeat the process.”  Understand, I tread lightly here for I do not want to add to or take away from God’s word.  My singular objective is to grasp the full meaning of the truth presented.  If we only focus on a hot tempered man we will miss the larger view of intense anger, rage and wrath that is in the heart.

We know from scripture that we are instructed to discipline children and the Bible emphasizes the danger of stubbornness in the heart.  We are repeatedly warned of the dangers of wrath, anger and rage.  We are in James 1:19-20, “…let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”  I have a friend who is incredibly hot tempered and he justifies it saying, “It is my Irish coming out.”  No!  It is not just your ethnic heritage it is a condition of heart that needs to be addressed.

Most of us have hot buttons that can be pushed and once pushed anger, sometimes intense anger, rage or wrath spews forth and we say or do things we frequently regret.  A person given to temper will never lack conflict.  A child that is undisciplined will develop into a man or woman who is undisciplined and often given to fits of temper if they do not get their way.  Wrath incurs woe and reaps the fruit of that action which could rightly be rendered punishment.  A heart that is unchecked by the Holy Spirit and gives place to wrath will not learn by intervention (rescue) it will only change by the transforming power of God’s love.

The cure for a hot temper is not punishment or intervention by others it is a transformation of the heart by the Love and Grace of God.  It is a heart problem not just an attitude or personality disorder.  Its roots are in self-centeredness and an attitude of entitlement or the enthronement of self as the center of one’s universe.  We must dethrone self and enthrone our LORD and as John the Baptist said, “He must increase but I must decrease…” 

In children the need for repeated correction and discipline is required to shape the will and point the heart toward the tugging of God’s Holy Spirit.  It is required that we teach our children discipline and self-restraint so they can function productively in society.  Most of us have learned that flying off the handle produces no good result.  Oh, it may make us feel good for a moment thinking we set someone straight but in the long term it only drives wedges and provides fuel for feuds, divisions, discord and creates an environment or atmosphere of conflict.

God will always chastise His children not because He desires to punish us but because He loves us and wants us to overcome the battle of the flesh and walk in a manner that manifests His character, nature and heart.

May the Lord empower you to overcome the flesh as you maneuver through this day’s obstacles and opportunities!  Blessings!