Cool in the Desert

Boy, has it been hot lately.

Now if you know me then you know I enjoy the warm weather but do not like the cold weather. Each person has his or her favorites. Of course we all would love it to be spring or fall year round but that is not likely to happen. There has also been a lot of talk about Global warming and that we are entering a critical phase and it is in our hands to control. While it may be true we are depleting our air and oxygen supplies with gas fumes, I am not personally convinced we are about to see the earth go into oblivion just yet. I understand however that just as much as anything else in the Bible we should take care of and keep it the best we can, this creation God has blessed us with.

Sometimes we are like the two guys who meet in the middle of the desert. One was carrying a car door, and the other an umbrella. The one with the car door said to the guy with the umbrella, "Why are you carrying that umbrella around, it isn't going to rain in the desert?" To which the guy with the umbrella replies, "Yeah", but it keeps me out of the sun! By the way, why are you carrying around that car door, you don't even have a car to go with it". The guy with the car door days, "Yeah, well at least if I get too hot from the sun I can just roll down the window!"

Anger is a deadly character trait.
Psalm 37:8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath. Fret not in any way to do evil.
Proverbs 14:17 He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly.
Proverbs 16:32 He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty.
James says be swift to hear and slow to be angry.

Keeping our cool is not always easy. For some of us the nagging thing that we have to continually work on just like everyone who lives has something to deal with is the anger bug. Anger is something we most likely all fight or have fought at times. Of course Jesus and His Temple experience where He turns over the tables and the money changers is used by many to say, "see even Jesus got angry". Jesus spoke probably pretty loudly when He said, "My house shall be called a house of prayer but you have made it a den of thieves." Mark 11:17 I preach and I get loud most of the time but it doesn't mean I'm mad or angry, it means I am passionate about what I am saying. You can be passionate about something without being sinfully angry.

Be Cool. There will probably come sometime this week you will wish and pray someone would be patient with you. When cool heads prevail much can be thought through and problems solved. I know of a church where a business meeting became unlike anything that would please the Lord. A man stood up and the veins in his neck were pulsating and he fell over after his tirade and was later pronounced dead. Anger is not something to be played around with. You and I both want kindness and courtesy then give it and you will get it.