The country music group Alabama has a song titled “5:00 500” in which they compare getting off work and going home to being in a car race. The boss dropped the “green flag” and everyone heads out the door, headed home, and the freeway is packed with everyone trying to get home, all at the same time, as soon as possible.
One man talked about the traffic he faced every day and how he rushed to get home as soon as he could. Red lights, slow drivers, and drivers cutting in front of him – they all drove him crazy. He would be a nervous wreck by the time he got home. His stomach would be in knots, he was frustrated, tired, and angry. He would lose his temper with his wife and kids. It was not a pleasant routine. And largely it was because he allowed the traffic to get him down.
After hearing a sermon on patience, this man decided he would make some changes. He could not control traffic, but he could control how he viewed the traffic. He himself would drive more slowly. He would not push to finish the trip as quickly as possible. He would relax and not be so competitive when another driver went around or cut in front of him.
The first time this man tried his new approach, it actually took him two minutes longer to get home! But the difference in his attitude once he arrived home was the difference between night and day. He was calm, more relaxed, and ready to show love to his wife and kids. His emotions were under control.
Notice – the situation did not change. There were still red lights. There were still rude drivers. There were still slowpokes on the road. But when he decided he would change his mentality, and not get angry, he lost two minutes. That was nothing compared to what he gained in return!
In 1 Corinthians 13:5, the apostle Paul writes that “love is not provoked.” There are many ways we could word this: love does not wear its feelings on the sleeve. Love is not touchy. Loving hearts do not have short fuses. Patience isn’t just a virtue – it’s the best way to live.
Many people, once they become angry, find it hard to get their emotions back under control. The wise man said, “The beginning of strife is like letting out water, So abandon the quarrel before it breaks out” (Prov. 17:14). The Edenville Dam broke in Midland, MI a couple years ago. It was in May of 2020. A 500-page report was released in May of this year and, to no one’s surprise, the dam break was preventable. There was no single person or group of people responsible for the dam’s weakness but it was the result of decades of neglect by many people. Ten thousand people had to be evacuated; thousands of homes and businesses were damaged at an estimated cost of $250 million. Solomon said that getting angry is like having a crack in a dam. Once you let the flow of anger start, it’s hard to get it stopped.
Once again, the wise man wrote: “A gentle answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger” (Prov. 15:1). Let’s give one another one of the greatest gifts we can give: patience – to our families, our coworkers, our neighbors, but especially to our church family. It’s the loving thing to do. If we can’t get along together here on earth, we won’t be in heaven together. We might, however, be in hell together.
Get over your anger quickly before it causes you to miss heaven.
Paul Holland
