Anger’s Damage

Dwight learned a valuable lesson about controlling anger early in life.

He exploded when his father would not allow him to go into town with his older brothers. He went outside and punched his fist against a tree so hard that he passed out.

Once his mother revived him, she sent him to his room to cool off. When she came to his room, she sat down to bandage the wounds caused by his outburst.

She told him, “You know Dwight, the only person that got hurt was you. And your lack of control caused it. Just remember, when we are angry, the person who gets damaged the most is you.”

As she was about to leave, she mentioned a verse from Proverbs.

“Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.” (Proverbs 16:32, ESV)

Dwight took it to heart. The lesson served him well as he grew, first at West Point and then during his time in the Army. It reached its zenith when he became the 34th president.

Dwight David Eisenhower learned you could go far with a bit of self-control.

Have you learned the same lesson?