Temper Tantrums
Good Morning,
In recent years, we have watched protesters fight and cause great havoc, and all was done for one reason, they did not get their way. Whether it be a two-year-old wanting a candy bar in the store, or a Democrat wanting Hillary to be President, throwing a fit is common when you fail to have logic, reason, and facts.
Notice the events surrounding the arrest of Jesus:
Luke 23:13 “And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people,”
vs.14 “Said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him:”
vs. 15 “No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him.”
vs. 16 “I will therefore chastise him, and release him.”
Both Pilate and Herod were willing to release Jesus; they knew He had done nothing worthy of death. The story continues…
vs. 20 “Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them.”
vs. 21 “But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him.”
vs. 22 “And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go.”
vs. 23 “And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed.”
vs. 24 “And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required.”
Pilate was willing to release Jesus; the truth was not hard to see. But blinded, selfish men cannot see truth or reason, nor do they have logical dialogue. When all reason and logic escapes one, he screams!!
vs. 23 “And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed.”
Notice: loud voices prevailed, not logic or reason.
Wise leaders may hear screams, but should only listen to facts and truth — whether it be a teenager trying to spend the night at a friend’s house or a child wanting ice cream when mom thinks it is not the right time. When a leader gives in to a follower who causes trouble, or when tantrums get results more than logic and facts, the leaders are creating a society of anarchists. If a child finds he does not get his way by reasonable request and dialogue, but that fighting and causing trouble gets his desired result, it is only logical that he will follow the same procedure the next time his requests are denied.
In the 60s, we saw rebellious college students have “sit in’s” in protest for various reasons. They would block hallways to administration offices, take college administrators captive, and some groups even burned buildings. At that point, if parents had pulled every cent of support from their children, and if colleges had shut down the schools and had forbidden those students from ever attending college again, we would be living in a much different society today. Understand that the students of the 60’s are the veteran professors today. These professors are rebels and anarchists who learned to get their way by using the tool of civil unrest. (The authorities were the key to making it succeed.) Many people in that era burned draft cards and left the country for Canada. Leadership cannot prevent people from doing these things, but if leaders had recorded the names and put those names on a watch list so that upon entering the country again they would be jailed and unable to ever attend college, hold public office, or be trusted with any position of trust, we would never have had a Bill Clinton in the White House.
A follower will get louder and louder until he gets his way or until the leader stops him. The end of the story is entirely up to the leader. In my home, loud sighs brought about correction; stomping feet or slamming a door would have brought about capital punishment. Perhaps that is the reason that when tension arises in my marriage, I have found it wise to deal calmly and with carefully chosen words.
In Pilate’s situation, the yelling, screaming people got their way, and for eternity, Pilate will remember giving in and allowing the Son of God to be murdered, when he had the chance to save the life of the Saviour. When someone breaks the law, they should face the clearly-written punishment of the law. Whether the punishment be jail or fines, laws are the basis for civilized people. If one does not follow the law, he creates a primitive society ruled by the bullies.
Luke 23:23 “And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed.”
When your child throws a fit, explain to him the punishment that will be his every time he fights and yells. The next time emotions rise, be sure to do exactly as you said you would do, and do so again and again until the follower learns that no one gets his way by anger, violence, and public disturbance. When a child finds out that ruining the shopping for everyone in the store brings him candy or that tossing food around a restaurant gets the dinner with the family friends to end earlier, he will begin a life of fighting, yelling, and violence. Have you ever wondered why a man yells or hits his wife when situations or outcomes do not end according to his plan? This reaction was trained into him by his parents.
Teach everyone to think and to have law-abiding logic on their side. Teaching followers to know the rules, obey them, and to reason with those around them will solve the domestic violence, the child abuse, and the civil unrest.
Rioting should be treated with the most severe punishment, not rewarded with giving in to the whim of the rioters. College students needing play dough and comfort pets because they do not like the results of an election are going to end up as terrible husbands and wives who depend on counselors, sedatives, and government support. Rioters who destroy property because they do not like election results need to be jailed, forced to repay every cent of damage they incurred, and right every wrong they committed; if this does not happen, those same people will resort to violence the next time they do not get their way.
In answer to some questioning thoughts…
Yes, America did rebel against England. It was a well-planned, national decision after years of logic, reason, and countless attempts at a solution. It was not a mindless, violent revolt by a few against innocent neighbors.
Yes, there are situations in which citizens might stand against unjust laws, but not by burning down a neighbor’s store or by beating up someone who differed on an opinion.
Flattery may change decisions and violence may change choices made by leaders, but logic and reason are the method that wise men use in leading and ruling.
2 Samuel 23:3 “…He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.”
God said much about leaders and judges, and in every case, the instructions God gave were in regard to justice and to truth, not to try to find peace and stop violent reactions.
Exodus 23:6 “Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor in his cause.”
vs. 7 “Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked.”
vs. 8 “And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.”
Deuteronomy 16:18 “Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment.”
vs. 19 “Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.”
vs. 20 “That which is altogether just shalt thou follow, that thou mayest live, and inherit the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.”
If we will start this teaching when our children are toddlers, we will not have trouble on our college campuses in the future. (It would also help to jail professors who incite riots and teach treason!)
Pastor