The tension in the room grew deeper as one after another began to feed on each other's anger. Why is it when someone gets angry the rest of us want to follow?
This reminds me of a demonstration a friend of mine used to do to show her kids how easy it is for anger to grow. She'd slap one hand and then the other until soon the hands were fighting, and then she'd show a different way. Again she'd slap her one hand, but instead of the other slapping back it would softly pat the other hand until soon neither hand one be slapping-all would be calm.
At times when trying to discipline the kids in my care, I will have to yell at a child who is doing wrong and of course he/she will deny any wrong doing. Soon I find myself in a debate with this child and my anger is rising. I've fallen into the slapping hands trap. I find it much calmer to say what I need to say and leave it there, if the child continues then a time-out trip is in order.
The other night my husband found himself in this trap. When turning into an intersection, he failed to see a person trying to catch the left turn light. He ended up cutting off this driver. The driver of the other car blared his horn and flashed his lights while we waiting for the next light to turn green. After my husband proceeded to go all was well until 1/2 mile down the road when the driver he had cut off decided to pull in front of us slamming on his brakes. Luckily, he was able to stop in time. Instead of just letting it go though, my husband decided to blast his horn and flash his lights.
Why do we feel the need to retaliate? Why can't we just turn the other cheek? Why can't we softly pat back?
Jesus clearly tells us to resist the evil by not falling into the temptation of retaliation. Still there is something in us that pulls us to be in the right, no matter the circumstance.
As hard as it maybe I am going to continue to try and turn the other cheek, and let God deal with those who push my buttons.
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