Don't cut off your nose...

...to spite your face.

Have you ever heard that idiom? I remember it from way back and always found it interesting. More recently, I have had to catch myself from doing exactly that. The idiom essentially warns us not to act in anger, irationally or overreact to a person or situation even if it hurts us too...

Looking at the picture, no one in their right mind would do that to their face - would you? However, the truth is we do that from time to time. I know that when someone upsets me, I have to talk myself down from being retaliatory. This idiom brought this quote to mind: "Anger is one letter short of danger."* The Bible warns us about anger and our associations in Proverbs***- because God knows it can result in danger...

Another scripture that comes to mind is:

"Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered"***

This is one scripture a lot of people use to pray against external attack on pastors (i.e. our husbands). Recently, when I was going through a "fuming & defusing" stage, the Holy Spirit opened my heart to realize that if I'm not careful I can also "strike the shepherd." God forbid I thought - then He taught me some more...

Have you ever been so upset (by your husband or someone else) that you don't feel like going to church or go but don't participate as much as you should or usually do? So that's an example of "cutting off nose to spite your face." Joel Osteen says: "You have as many good and happy days as you choose to have." When you zone off like that you are hurt and even angrier if no one notices - I know because it's happened to me. Even worse, if people notice and follow your lead, you have infected them with a bad "virus." Beyond that, you mess up the whole worship experience for everyone not just the pastor (your husband).

Ephesians 4:26 says it's ok to be angry...once we don't sin - which can be tough.
If you ask me the easiest way to avoid sin in this context is not to be angry at all. Doing that directly and indirectly prevents you from being one of those who actually/could "strike the shepherd" - and you'll still have your beautiful nose :)

Sources:
*Author unknown
**Prov 22:24 - Don't hang out with angry people; don't keep company with hotheads. Bad temper is contagious - don't get infected. (The Message)
Don’t befriend people controlled by anger; don’t associate with hot-tempered people; otherwise, you will learn their ways and become trapped. (Common English Bible)
Prov 29:22 - An angry person stirs up conflict, and a hot-tempered person commits many sins. (NIV)
***Zech 13;7; Matt 26:31 & Mark 14:27