Temper, Temper - King Saul

Saul boiled with rage at Jonathan. “You stupid son of a whore!” he swore at him. “Do you think I don’t know that you want him to be king in your place, shaming yourself and your mother? As long as that son of Jesse is alive, you’ll never be king. Now go and get him so I can kill him!”

1 Samuel 20:30-31

Someone once tried to rationalize outbursts of anger to the American evangelist Billy Sunday by telling him, “There’s nothing wrong with losing my temper. I blow up, and then it’s all over.”

“So does a shotgun,” Sunday replied, “and look at the damage it leaves behind!”

Few emotions have the potential to harm our hearts and relationships like uncontrolled anger. In the Bible, anger led to Cain’s slaying Abel, to Samson’s downfall, and to King Saul’s attempts to kill a young and faithful servant named David.

Saul’s anger erupted out of his jealousy. David had made quite a name for himself as a warrior and leader, and Saul knew that he was a threat to his position as king. His anger was so fierce and overwhelming that at least three times he tried to murder the future king of Israel who had faithfully served him.

That wasn’t all.

Anger has a sneaky way of spreading and infecting relationships with those closest to us even when they aren’t the objects of our anger. Saul was so consumed with anger at David that he lashed out at his son Jonathan because Jonathan was a close friend of David and had attempted to protect him from harm.

Saul had already proven himself unworthy to lead the people of Israel. He showed his true colors when he allowed anger to control his every motivation, decision, and action.

At times, it may be appropriate or even righteous to become angry, but you should always stop before you pop and make sure that you feel angry for the right reasons. Then be sure to express it in a fitting way.