When Tempers Fly, Lift Your Wings In Love

Is it just me or do things that fly really annoy you?  Things like flies, gnats, mosquitoes, bees and such.  The first reaction is acknowledgement of the object.  The second is to swat it away.  Then, begins the impossible mission of defeating the object.  Before you know it, you have spent several moments watching the object land and getting its flight pattern down.  You may defeat it, and then you may not.  The satisfaction of defeating it is quickly destroyed because there is another one.  

Well, people are like flying insects too.  For example, the office where I work in Afghanistan is very cramped.  Imagine fitting 70 people in your living room with computers, chairs, tables, printers, copying machines, file cabinets, book cases, air conditioning units, trash cans, and cases of water bottles.  How would you cope day in and day out?  Precisely.  So, after 30 days your emotions and stress levels have risen beyond basic coping skills.  Before you know it, the person who coughs excessively gets on your first nerve, the person who laughs loudly gets on your fifth nerves, and the person who has no people skills gets on your last nerves.  I couldn't contain myself.  I lost composure and snapped.  Imagine the looks I got.  Some were of relief, some were shocked and some were annoyed at me.  What did I do?  Exactly, I did the normal thing, but that isn't normal in a combat zone.  It could be automatic referral to the chaplain or a medical professional.  Granted these are great people to go to if you have a problem, but going to them because I'm annoyed is a bit much.

How does one regroup?  Take a few breaths and walk away from the area for a little while (no more than 10 minutes).  Walk back in and go to the person and tell them gently what the annoyance is and request they stop.  But before you go to them, pray that God gives you words to speak gently.  If the person continues after you asked nicely... look at them the way God does.  Perhaps they are having a bad day.  See what's going on with them.  Maybe it will work, but the bottom line is they will see you really care.  Your going to them is the same way Jesus went to others.  He approached them in a loving way.  He had compassion.  Your walking in God's light will shine and warm them up in a loving way.  

So the next time your temper flies, use your wings of God's love to heal, console, and embrace a spirit that needs His light to make it through the day.