The Call for Self-control and Level-headedness under Trials and Temptations
“He who is slow to anger is better than he who is mighty, and he who controls his spirit than he who captures a city.” Proverbs 16:32
Self-control is one of the fruit of the Spirit, Galatians 5:22-23. We also read that he who controls his spirit is better than he who captures a city.
In our everyday life, at home or at work, how much self-control do we show when the inevitable pressures and trials come our way? It is all well and good to be in good comportment when all is smooth sailing. How do we respond when the turbulence and waves of trials and temptations assail us?
Our physical reaction to pressure is just one aspect of our comportment, what about our decision making under pressure? Shall we learn from our Lord’s example in the passage in John 8 : 3- 11 (New King James version).
3 Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, 4 they said to Him, “Teacher, [a]this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. 5 Now [b]Moses, in the law, commanded us [c]that such should be stoned. But what do You [d]say?” 6 This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, [e]as though He did not hear.
7 So when they continued asking Him, He [f]raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” 8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 Then those who heard it, being[g] convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10 When Jesus had raised Himself up [h]and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers [i]of yours? Has no one condemned you?”
11 She said, “No one, Lord.”
And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go [j]and sin no more.”
Comments
There are many takeaway lessons on self-control which the Lord teaches us in the handling of this episode. Shall we list some of them as follows:
1 Probably the first point that strikes most readers is the clear injustice in their treatment of the woman. There were two persons involved in the act, a man and a woman. Why parade the woman alone?
2. The Lord took His time and did not go on to respond or criticise them. He chose to write on the ground, and waited as He took control of the situation. Shall we learn to think over an issue and not be in a hurry to respond or give an answer.
3. They had to prompt the Lord to remind Him that they were waiting for His reply.
4. In His answer, He gave them a fundamental lesson in ethical behaviour and self-examination in His statement: “He who is without sins should cast the first stone”. At this, they all left, one by one until He was alone with the woman.
5. The Lord advised her that whilst she did not condemn her, she should go and sin no more. Demonstrating that He did not condone her sin.
6. It is relevant to appreciate that the Lord was not against the commandment given by Moses. No, it is necessary to understand the purpose of the Jews in arraigning the woman before Him. It was a trap such that whatever He advised on the law on the incident was implicating.
If he said do not stone her, He would have been seen to be advising against the law of God given through Moses.
If he said, stone her as commanded by the law, He would have been committing a crime against the Romans who ruled the Jews then, and they only had the authority to put anyone to death.
Therefore, He paused, waited and then answered such that His reply not only avoided their trap but also made them leave in self-guilt.
Shall we pause and try to understand a situation or the purpose of a question or an issue before responding to ensure that we provide an appropriate response.