Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, ‘You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there.’

We need to work hard on self-control on a daily basis and to handle situations as Christ would want us to with love, and kindness trying to understand both sides of a problem. Believe it or not, WE might just not be the one who is right! And that might be a hard pill for us to swallow. Is it easy? No. But with God’s help and good Christian friends around to help, we can do it!

"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath" (Jas 1:15). In learning to control our anger, we will find that we will draw people to us; not send them away. If we learn to control our tongues, we will keep those friendships alive and healthy. "A man that hath friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother" (Prov 18:24).

As Christians, we try very hard to be Christ-like and not hurt others and to set the proper example. We are not perfect; we are human and we will fall and make mistakes. It will take work on our part. In learning to practice self-control, we will become stronger: "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it" (I Cor 10:13).

The next time anger strikes, try some of these suggestions: take some slow breaths and work hard on "thinking" before we speak; make ourselves count to ten if we are beyond control and leave the room if necessary; tell the person we’ll come back when we have cooled down; make a conscious decision to talk about it with the other person -- later that same day. If there is still a problem -- take an impartial person to listen to both sides of the conflict. Above all else - think! Actions done in haste can lead to disaster if one is not careful! Envision how we would like someone to handle the situation if it were US they were angry with? "And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise" (Luke 6:31).

Too many times, we think it is silly to "think before we speak" or "too much trouble." But in the long run, how long it will take to undo the damage done by words spoken in anger without thinking about what was being said. When we are angry, we usually try to hurt -- not solve. We are worried about SELF!

We need to surround ourselves with people who are positive and encouraging. Do not be afraid or too proud to ask for help if there is a problem with anger that is continuously getting one into trouble.