YOUNG PEOPLE ASK . . .What's Wrong With Getting Even?

Self-Control-A Sign of Strength!

Mistreatment and injustice are hardly  new. One Bible writer gave this advice: "Let anger alone and leave rage:  do not show yourself heated up only to do evil." (Psalm 37:8) Far too often, rage involves a loss of self-control and is expressed without regard for the consequences. Allowing oneself to become "heated up" can result in an explosion of rage!  What may result? 

Consider the Bible example of Cain and Abel.  "Cain grew hot with great anger" at his brother Abel. As a result,  "while they were in the field Cain proceeded to assault Abel his brother and kill him."  (Genesis 4:5, 8) Another example,  of uncontrolled rage involved King Saul.  Jealous of the military exploits of young David, he actually threw spears not only at David but also his own son Jonathan! -1 Samuel 18:11; 19:10; 20:30-34.

True, there are times when it is right to be angry. But even then, righteous indignation can result in evil if it is not controlled. Simeon and Levi, for example, certainly had a right to be angry with Shechem when they learned that  he had raped their sister Dinah.  But instead of staying calm, they stirred up  violent anger, as reflected in their later words:  "Ought anyone to treat our sister like a prostitute?" (Genesis 34:31) And when their anger rose to a fever pitch, they "proceeded to take each one his sword and go unsuspectedly in the city to kill every male" living in Shechem's village.  Their rage was contagious because "the others sons of Jacob" joined in the murderous attack.  (Genesis 34:25-27) Even years later, Simeon and Levi's father, Jacob, denounced their uncontrolled anger. -Genesis 49:5-7. 

From this we learn an important point:  Uncontrolled anger is a sign not of strength but of weakness. Proverbs 16:32 states:  "He that is slow to anger is better than a mighty man, and he that is controlling his spirit than the one capturing a city." 

Next time: YOUNG PEOPLE ASK . . .What's Wrong With Getting Even?/The Folly of Retaliation

From the Awake! magazine