Reflections

Jesus Had to Control His Outrage, Too

If anyone knew the temptation to retaliate, it was Jesus. He was spit upon. He was falsely accused. He was challenged by powerful men and even mocked publicly. But how did Jesus respond? Sometimes he said nothing. Other times, he softly acknowledged what he knew to be true. But he didn’t escalate the situation. He didn’t humiliate his accusers. He exercised a level of self-control that few have. In doing so, he set an example of peace for us in our daily conflicts.

We, too, can turn down the volume whenever our blood boils, even when we feel justified. As Jesus showed, contention is not the answer.