Vital Signs: Friday, January 24, 2025

The Freedom of Restraint

“If a wise person takes a fool to court, there will be ranting and ridicule but no satisfaction. The bloodthirsty hate blameless people, but the upright seek to help them. Fools vent their anger, but the wise quietly hold it back.” - ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭29‬:‭9‬-‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The Bible tells us that venting anger is foolish for many reasons. For one, it shows a lack of self-control and an inability to practice restraint. When we feel compelled to express our anger, we foolishly overlook how it provokes others, intensifies conflict, and worsens the situation. Holding back rather than spewing venomous anger is always the wiser choice. Even better is to search for the source of the anger, which often lies not in the issue at hand but in negative experiences from years ago. A free person finds true freedom by releasing their anger.