I Have No Self Control
Yesterday I was meeting with an elder from the church I attend at Ark Coffeehaus and while we are sitting there talking, I see someone walking in and instantly I am captivated. I couldn’t believe my eyes. A woman, maybe 5’4, dark brown hair makes her way in. I couldn’t help but stare at her through the glass door.
What arrested my attention was the black short sleeve t-shirt she was wearing. It wasn’t the colors but the message printed on it. In large capital letters it read “I Have No Self Control.” I softly laughed to myself as I fought to focus on the conversation I was having, but I was flummoxed, completely shocked. One, who would wear such a shirt in public? And two what a message her shirt was sending. Of course, I am certain that there is some comedic motivation for her wearing it (it certainly is a conversation starter) but then my mind started to race down the highway of introspection. What does that mean for me as a believer? Do I have self-control? Do you?
Proverbs 25:28 says "He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls".
Am I a city with no walls? Does everything I want to say but shouldn’t come spilling out? Does every impulse run wild and free or does my city have walls guarding what comes and goes? What about you?
I know the Lord allowed this woman to walk into that coffee shop yesterday morning for a reason. He wanted to remind me to have self control for that is one of the signs that I am a follower of Christ.
"For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” 2 Timothy 1:7
The original translation of this verse says ……”and a sound mind” while others read ……..”self discipline.”
We know that Jesus exercised extreme levels of self-control. Can you imagine the sheer might of his power flowing through body and spirit? He had the strength of heaven at his beck and call and yet he kept the legions of angels at bay. I picture the angels standing on the mountain cliffs of heaven, giddy with excitement about the possibility of Jesus calling them into battle with Him. Like soldiers eager to rush the enemy, the heavenly hosts wait whispering to themselves “just say the word Jesus, we’re ready!” And that’s only speaking of the celestial army Jesus commands. He also commanded internal power to heal, to curse, or kill, to resurrect life, and to bless, all at his fingertips. And yet he maintained self control. His own people betrayed Him, turned him over to the Romans. He said nothing. He was whipped until flesh flew off of his body, blood oozing from the wounds covering his body from all the way from the crown of his head to the sole of his feet. He remained quiet, not retaliation, like a sheep to the slaughter. And we shoot back verbal poison at anyone who looks at us sideways or swerves in front of us on the road.
Where is our self control? When the world looks at us, do they nod their heads in respect and say “the Christians have self control?”
Here’s a test: if someone off the street came and poured a bucket of water on you, what would you do? Could you maintain self control?
