I listened to someone talk about this verse recently and I wanted to get your thoughts on it as well.
A man of great wrath (anger) will suffer punishment; if you rescue him, you will have to do it again. Proverbs 19:19
What does this verse mean to you?
(I love Proverbs, I know, I know, I've told you guys that a million times, but it is like an instruction manual for life; real, everyday life! I love that.)
6 comments:
Well, to me it says that someone with great anger will continuously have to be "rescued." I think this can translate to many things in our individual lives though. Being that we are sinners and we have that tendancy to "give in" to those things that Satan temps us with, we contiuously need to be rescued...certainly by the Holy Spirit...and many times with the help of those closest to us.
That's just my 2 or 3 cents worth anyway.
Somebody who is filled with anger will be filled with anger until they make a change. If you rescue them, that doesn't mean their problem with anger will go away. You'll have to keep rescuing from that anger until they change.
I also see something else...in thinking in terms of a mommy to a headstrong little girl... maybe if they have great anger, they deserve punishment rather than rescue so that they can learn to deal with it the next time, rather than having to get worse and worse and the punishment get worse and worse. Better to learn to control the wrath early on. Make sense? It's what I've been trying with her for awhile and I pray it is working.
Solomon penned these "wisdom jewels" for his sons so they could rule God's people well. What he understood is that anger/wrath
is something that, left unresolved/untreated will continue to manifest itself as trouble over and over for the affected person AND for all who are a part of their lives. Anger grows from several roots, but the common ones are; fixation on self (selfishness), frustration, resentment, and lack of power to affect change. The Bible also holds another truth that bears on this issue. "Be angry, and sin not." What Amy says is true, we MUST learn to "handle" our anger without sin. Anger is a normal, even Godly trait. The Bible talks about the wrath of God, and God being angry. So anger, within limits, may be good and even appropriate. It's the "sin not" thing we must see as the important part.
So, what did you hear them say? And what are your thoughts on this verse?
"Great wrath" made me immediately think of my ex husband. He always got very angry and I always tried to smooth things over. I tried to fix it. I (the eternal people pleaser) wanted him to be happy. I guess that's rescuing. He just continued to be angry; nothing changed. It was very rarely appropriate anger. We can't fix other people.
And I (the eternal nerd as well) also thought of Yoda: "Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering." It kind of fits with this verse, doesn't it? (See why I LOVE Star Wars?)
The reason that this verse sparked my interest is because I struggle with people who allow anger to live within them and my need to continue to feel compelled to rescue them. When I heard the discussion on this verse it spoke to ME. I spent several years dealing with a man who was angry. He didn't even know how angry he was, on a conscious level. But if you heard him speak and watched how he dealt with others and how he dealt with himself, it was BLATANLY obvious. He was angry with his dad, angry with his own choices in life, angry that because of those choices--his life wasn't at all how he hoped it would be, but yet he never made any changes. And so his life was in a constant state of turmoil. He refused to examine his anger. He refused to make better life choices. He marinated in his anger daily. He coninutously alienated those he loved and pushed them away. And all of those who cared deeply for him, like me, in his life were constantly scurrying around picking him up, lifting him up, cleaning him up, etc...The more we did it, the more he needed us to. It was a cycle. Just like the verse says.
I also know a man who is angry, and definitely knows it. It is almost a part of his identity. I don't think he would know who he was without his burden of anger. Probably scares him to not know what his identity would be without it. In our class last night at church, Dex talked about those that carry around anger, shame, bitterness etc...because whether they realize it or not, they may do it because at least it is something they can FEEL. It reminds them of their humaness and that they are alive. Yet, they don't ever see that they can still have that same ability to FEEL deeply and to feel alive without the radiating pain of anger and angst. It can be replaced with joy and contentment in JESUS. But until they understand that and CHOOSE to take steps to truly release it, they will remain angry and bitter. And in the cases of both of these men, they will not ever be able to have healthy, whole, fulfilling relationships with anyone in their lives (family, friends, children, spouses, etc...). And I must know that to "rescue" them will only suck me into their cycle. My help is not "helpful", my help is not what they need. The only help they truly need is counsling and instruction on releasing it and replacing it only with the love of Christ. That is the ONLY answer.
I pray for all of these people I know and care for that they may DEAL with their anger/pain issues once and for all and submit all of that over to HIM, their only answer, their only hope. Their only CURE.
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