Biblical Masculinity #5: Self-Control
February 5, 2007
The next stop on our tour through proverbial masculinity is self-control. Proverbs 16:32 tells us, "Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city."
Self-control is especially important in relationships, such as in marriage. The reality is that our relationships will always involve at least some friction and even conflict. (That's right, your marriage is not the only one with conflict...). The tendency is to focus on the offenses of the other person, but the more godly a man is the more he will direct his attention towards himself. A lot of men struggle with anger; this problem signals a need for serious heart-work. Why do I get angry? a man should ask of himself. Why am I quick to yell, belittle, or strike out? Notice the contrast between being slow to anger and being mighty; anger often flows from a reliance on strength, which God has given men to use for good and not for evil.
Self-control is especially important in relationships, such as in marriage. The reality is that our relationships will always involve at least some friction and even conflict. (That's right, your marriage is not the only one with conflict...). The tendency is to focus on the offenses of the other person, but the more godly a man is the more he will direct his attention towards himself. A lot of men struggle with anger; this problem signals a need for serious heart-work. Why do I get angry? a man should ask of himself. Why am I quick to yell, belittle, or strike out? Notice the contrast between being slow to anger and being mighty; anger often flows from a reliance on strength, which God has given men to use for good and not for evil.
