A story is told about a woman who told a preacher she had a bad temper, but that it was over in a minute. The preacher said, “So is a shotgun blast, but it blows everything to pieces.” Far too many of us are triggered by the least little incident, frequently losing our temper and usually do and say things in anger we later regret. “He that is soon angry deals foolishly” (Prov 14:17). It has been said that “anger is like rain which breaks itself upon that whereon it falls.” For example, anger usually culminates in bitter words, insults, the revealing of secrets or in the breaking off of relations between two parties. Insults are probably the most frequent cause of anger. How many of us possess the spirit of Abraham Lincoln when he was insulted? It is reported that when he was told that one of his cabinet members, Edwin Stanton, called him a fool, he replied, “If Stanton says I am a fool, I had better look into the matter, for he is a wise man.” No doubt that worked much better than if he would have retaliated by losing his temper, setting off a chain reaction with much more bitterness and resentment to follow. After Lincoln was killed Stanton said out of respect, “There lies the greatest leader this country has ever known.”
The Bible teaches us the importance of practicing self- control. It is listed as the “fruit of the Spirit” (Gal 5:22-23) and among what we sometimes refer to as the “Seven Christian Graces” (2 Pet 1:6). We need to exercise self control in every aspect of our lives. This includes Social Media. Sometimes Christians will post things on social media that does not show the Spirit of Christ. We need to be careful not only in the words we say but in the words we post.