Garret Keizer in his provocative book...
Illustration
Garret Keizer in his provocative book, The Enigma of Anger, tells a story about his father-in-law who lives in a three-story house on a small yard in the middle of a blue-collar town in northeastern New Jersey. Although his father-in-law is in poor health, he likes to keep his place neat, his porch painted, and the grass mowed and trimmed. His neighbors' overarching trees drop leaves and twigs in his yard and those who pass by his home have a tendency to leave their litter on his sidewalk.
The falling leaves and twigs and the constant litter, nonetheless do not annoy him or make him mad. Every day he goes out and picks up the wrappers and coffee cup caps that have been thrown on the lawn. He sweeps the sidewalk, stopping occasionally for a toke from his pocket inhaler he uses to battle his emphysema.
When salesmen come to the door to pester him, he has a tendency to reply, "The owner isn't home, I'm just the gardener."
This man had learned to put into practice Paul's admonition: "... do not let the sun go down on your anger" (Ephesians 4:26).
The falling leaves and twigs and the constant litter, nonetheless do not annoy him or make him mad. Every day he goes out and picks up the wrappers and coffee cup caps that have been thrown on the lawn. He sweeps the sidewalk, stopping occasionally for a toke from his pocket inhaler he uses to battle his emphysema.
When salesmen come to the door to pester him, he has a tendency to reply, "The owner isn't home, I'm just the gardener."
This man had learned to put into practice Paul's admonition: "... do not let the sun go down on your anger" (Ephesians 4:26).
