Keep Your Cool
A mother came home and was surprised to see her four children huddled around what she knew must have been something special. She was alarmed to see it was four baby skunks. Frantically she shouted, “Run children, get out of here, hurry, run.” Each child grabbed a baby skunk and ran.
Like that mother we often make things worse than they were by being alarmed and over reacting.
Composure shows when a person bears with composure one heavy load after another, not because he does not feel them, but because he has a Spirit controlled temperament.
A rubber band is made for only one purpose. That purpose is to be stretched so it can hold something together. If it is not stretched, it is not fulfilling its purpose. Christians are much like the rubber band, we are often stretched. Those moments when stretched out of our comfort zone afford the opportunity to show that though we are stretched we are fulfilling our purpose. It is to hold things together. If we lose our composure we make things worse than they were.
Hudson Taylor, founder of China Inland Mission, used to hang in his home a plaque with two Hebrew words on it: EBENEZER & JEHOVAH JIREH. The first word means “Hitherto hath the Lord helped us”and the second, “The Lord will see to it or provide.” Knowing that enables a person to be patient and evidence composure.
Jesus is our exemplar of composure. It is said of Him, “who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously…” (I Peter 2: 23). Meaning, He did not lose His cool, He remained composed.
He was accused of being a seditious man; spoken of as a deceiver; charged with being in league with Beelzebub, the “prince of the devils,” and condemned as a blasphemer against God. And He remained composed.
He used no harsh language. He showed no anger. He called for no revenge. He prayed that they might be forgiven. He calmly stood and bore it all, for he came to endure all kinds of suffering in order that he might set an example, and make an atonement for our sins.
Though He could have inflicted any kind of punishment on his persecutors, yet to give us, in this respect also, an example that we should follow his steps, He committed his cause to Him who is the righteous Judge. To avoid evil tempers, and the uneasiness and danger of avenging ourselves, it is a great advantage in all such cases to commit ourselves to the Lord. This stimulates confidence and composure. To lose your composure is to lose your cause – – – and your witness.
What causes Jesus suffering at times more than the cruelty of His persecutors must be the failure of His followers to follow His example. It was our sins for which He died. Is it too much to expect of us to live for Him?