Being a teacher exposes one to different flavors of people – both children and adults. Having taught in over five schools in my lifetime, I have experienced these unique characters even among my co-workers.
I have seen how talented teachers fell simply because of the lack of character and self control. I almost became a victim of this years ago.
I was teaching in Primary 3 class – a class I’ll describe as my least favorite class. It was my least favorite class because it comprised mainly pupils who had very little academic intelligence and interests.
Only a few were interested in learning. However, I do not hold the kids responsible for this; it’s common situation amongst African homes.
I normally checked their notes on Fridays.
On one of the Fridays, I came across the notebooks of one of my pupils there. It looked very rough and scanty. This only meant that the boy hadn’t been following in class works.
At this realization, anger flared up within me. Anger at the fact that despite all the topics I had laboured to teach on, this kid made no effort to put them in his notebook.
In my anger, I put a slap across his face. Ignoring his pale look and pleas that he was ill, I proceeded to flog him severely.
That little boy eventually suffered a convulsion in class that same day. It took the quick and expertise attention of the teachers to resuscitate him and bring him back to order.
As I recall the event, I ask myself ‘What if the boy could not be resuscitated. What would have been my fate?’ was the question that haunted me for the following few days.
It was only then I understood why the Bible admonishes us to keep our tempers under control {Eccl. 7:9}.
Just as I was with kids who had some annoying proclivities, one might be surrounded by folks who intentionally want to get on one’s nerves. But one must be mature enough to tame his anger.
Until a believer learns how to tame his anger, he will remain an easy tool in the hands of Satan. His anger will become a weakness; and it will be very easy for the enemy to influence his actions.
Furthermore, the consequences of acting on anger can be see from the life of Moses. Just when he was on the verge of entering the promised land, he was angered by the murmurings of the Jews; he acted by impulse and faced the consequences.
From Moses’ story, we learn that though we have no control on how we are spoken to, we bear full responsibility for how we respond.
Therefore, as mature believers and members of the society, let us follow the 2 Don’ts of Anger;
– Don’t speak
– Don’t act
It was Jefferson who said that ‘anything done in anger will end in shame’ Bierce added his, ‘Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you can ever regret’.
Though this seems to be hard and unnatural, especially to those who have inherent anger propensities.
However, through determination and the help of the Holy Spirit, everything in possible.
What do I do when I’m angry?
1. When you are at the verge of acting in rage, speak and project calmness to your soul. David did this whenever he was anxious {Psalm 42:11}.
2. Don’t act yet.
3. Cool off.
4. Identify the root cause of the anger.
5. Analyse the situation from a neutral perspective.
6. Express your anger only when you’re calm.
As the Bible says, be angry but don’t sin.
KOINONIA ART 