Christian
and self control
All man kind needs to learn to control its character/temper. Many of us have character flaws and don't realize it. This is because we find our flaws normal because we have lived with them all our lives. Others, notice our faults and tell us. We, however, do not always accept the warnings and advise that others give us. Mostly because we do not believe that what people tell us is true.
It is like convincing a fish that it is wet. Its whole life it has lived in the water and does not know what it means to be dry. It would be like trying to make that fish understand what dry wheat flour means. The fish has always been wet and does not understand if it were told otherwise. That is what happens when friends (and non-friends, even enemies alike) point out flaws in our character. Sometimes we don't understand them, because all of our lives we have lived with those flaws; we have been “wet” all our lives; we don't understand what being dry could mean. Nonetheless, it is worth paying attention and trying to see if what we are being told is true.
King Solomon, who learned very much because of the wisdom that he was given, and the mistakes he made, exhorts us to control our character. Let's see.
“He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.” (Prv 16:32)
It is true that it is more difficult for man kind “ to taketh” their own personality, by controlling it how it should be controlled, than to taketh a city with war. Haughtiness, lewdness, gluttony, hate etc., are good proof of it: Man cannot control these things without God's help. There are thousands of kings that have taken cities, but few who have completely controlled their character.
A city without walls is continually exposed to enemy attacks. Equally so, a person whose spirit has no harness, is easily victimized by temptations plotted by his spiritual enemies. That is why Solomon says the following:
“He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.” (Prv 25:28)
One's character can be controlled. Once, many years ago, an acquaintance of mine succeeded fleeing a dictatorship that disallowed its citizens to depart the country freely. There, human rights do not exist. There, the police beats a citizen with a stick for any reason and the citizen has no recourse and is unable to go before a judge to defend himself.
While said acquaintance
was speaking in a group, (already
living in the