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Are you a Skunk? Are you a Turtle?

Are you a Skunk? Are you a Turtle?. Ephesians 4:25-29. Skunks or Turtles?.

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Are you a Skunk? Are you a Turtle?

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  1. Are you a Skunk?Are you a Turtle? Ephesians 4:25-29

  2. Skunks or Turtles? • 25 Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another. 26"Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 nor give place to the devil. • 28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. 29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. • Ephesians 4:25-29

  3. Skunks or Turtles? • I want to attempt to classify everyone in this building today. • You are either a skunk, a turtle, or some combination of the two. • There is a natural law – Opposites attract • Skunks and turtles get along fine • Skunks and skunks – always clash – raise a stink • Turtles and turtles – never get anything done

  4. Skunks or Turtles? • Skunks and turtles describe: • How we handle stress • How we deal with pressure • How we cope with adversity • How we vent our anger and frustration • The way we survive disappointment • The kind of temperament we have

  5. Skunks • ACT OUT • When in danger, afraid, cornered, threatened • They spray – everything, everyone around them • TEMPERAMENT • “Gasoline” temper – boom! – flares up quickly • When you are angry – everyone knows it • Anger is short lived • The skunk just waddles off, happy and free

  6. Skunks • Their anger quickly flares up and it just as quickly subsides • He is “over it” and goes on with his life • Those he sprayed are angry, smelly, hurt • RESULTS • Skunks can do harmful things – vandalism, robbery, murder, lying , injure others, rape, home invasion • We call it “acting out”

  7. Skunks Need to Learn • When and how to spray • Find less harmful and destructive ways to act out and escape from the danger • Control their anger in non-sinful ways – Ephesians 4:26 "Be angry, and do not sin" • Learn what is socially acceptable • Limit the desire for radical response or change

  8. Turtles • WITHDRAW • When threatened, in danger, fear – the turtle pulls back inside • Pull in your head and feet – and close the door • They hold everything inside – never shows on the outside • The anger slowly builds and builds • This type of anger builds slowly, & lasts a long time • Ephesians 4:26b do not let the sun go down on your wrath

  9. Turtles • RESULTS • They keep it all inside • No one is hurt – no bad language, no foul smelling spray, no tongue lashing • They wind up hurting themselves • Turtles are more likely to commit suicide, go into a deep depression, withdraw from society, become a sociopath • Turtle can become a con-artist, cheat, identity theft, embezzler, (quiet and subtle acts)

  10. Turtles Need to Learn • Find a way to let out some of the internal pressure, anger, frustration • Learn to like themselves – have some self-esteem • To be in groups, social activities • Try new things, venture outside the lines • “Stick your neck out.” • Learn to trust others

  11. Pressure-cookers • Put in some green beans, a little water • Steam builds up inside • The weight on top begins to jiggle and let off steam • PSST - - PSST - - PSST = pressure is OK

  12. Pressure-cookers • WATCH OUT IF THE HISSING STOPS! • Pressure is building and building • Soon – there are green beans all over the ceiling

  13. Pressure-cookers • ALL OF US – SKUNKS AND TURTLES NEED TO LEARN HOW TO REDUCE THE STRESS, FEAR, ANXIETY, ANGER AND FRUSTRATION IN OUR LIVES • IN HARMLESS WAYS!

  14. Skunks / Turtles • We must learn the important lessons of Ephesians 4. • Which type of temper do you have? • Skunk – explodes and subsides • Turtle – builds and lasts a long time • We all have a temper. We all get angry. • Jesus did. “And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts,” Mark 3:5

  15. Skunks / Turtles • Here are the challenges before us: • Control our temper • Express our anger in appropriate ways • Learn to handle the stress and frustrations in life • Keep your life, example, words, and actions in keeping with Christian principles • Be a Christian (skunk) or a Christian (turtle)

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