Figuring It Out

In Psalm 106:32-33, the song writer is talking about Moses in Numbers 20:12-13, when he got so angry with the people of Israel and their constant grumbling and complaining, that he lost his temper and hit the rock instead of speaking to the rock, as God had told him to do.

Moses was the meekest man on earth, but at that moment, Moses let his frustration turn to anger, and he lost his temper. Moses had gone through so much to lead his people out of Egyptian slavery to a land of milk and honey, where they would have rest and peace. When God was ready to wipe out Israel after they made the golden calf at Sinai (Genesis 32:1-10), Moses even pleaded to God on their behalf and saved all their lives (Genesis 32:11-14). Yet, that moment of rage at Meribah cost Moses dearly. He lost his access to the promised land. I understand Moses’ frustration. I’m sure he handled the situation better than I would have. Grumbling and complaining gets old quick, but anger is a choice and rage is a choice. We choose when we get angry and what we do with that anger. We might try to say,” He makes me so mad,” or “That makes me mad,” but in doing that, we’re just trying to push the blame off to someone else and relieve ourselves of accountability for our own actions.

If you let someone make you mad, you are giving them control of you. It’s like you hand someone whom you don’t like and who might not like you a remote control with a big red button, but not the easy button, the stupid button. When they push that button you turn off your brain and do something stupid that you might regret for the rest of your life.

Don’t give anyone your stupid button. You can control who or what makes you angry.

“…let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” (James 1:19-20)