From the Cobwebs: Toothless and Angry (2007)

 Current mood: contemplative

A person with whom I work takes an anger management class every Wednesday night. When I see him, he often regales me with very interesting stories and descriptions from his classes. Sometimes, he describes the cast of angry students. He has told me that the class largely consists of burly, mean, angry-looking men, but there are a few women, also. There is a beautiful middle-aged black woman; a young, cute, blond coed; and a old mushy-faced woman with no teeth. It is this last description which really caught my attention. While describing her, he has said that he thinks perhaps she had gotten caught up in a life of drugs and alcohol. Things just slowly spiraled downward for her because of it.
It got me to wonderin'...do you think, at age 16, that it occurred to her that it was even possible that she would let drugs and alcohol consume her to such an extent that she would choose them over food? And, as a consequence, she would become so malnourished that her face would have that sunken look which is often associated with those people who have no teeth? At 25, when she was in the bloom of her life, did she imagine sitting, by court order, in a dilapidated classroom with gray paint peeling off of the walls for two hours EVERY SINGLE Wednesday night for six months? Just before her 37th birthday, do you think she foresaw this outcome?
I imagine that it never occurred to her that her life would be where it is today. Not at 19. Not at 25. Not 3 weeks shy of her 37th birthday, and definitely not when she made that first decision to step in the direction of sin. You see, every choice we make has subsequent consequences, whether they be good or bad. What we choose to do at 16, at 26, at 36, at 46, all affect whether or not we'll be sitting in a classroom, with gray paint on the walls and a sunken face at age 56.
So then, what do we do about it? Firstly, choose your friends wisely (I Cor. 15:33) As young adults, were surrounded by school and work mates, some of whom dont know God very well. Some of them have not heard of Him at all, as crazy as that is to imagine. While we need to know them in order to affect them for good; we dont need to make them our best friends. In my own life, Ive noticed more spiritual growth on my part when I have surrounded myself with like-minded people. The apostle Paul, after being beaten and bound in chains, rejoiced and sang with Silas, his fellow preacher and prisoner. (Acts 16: 22-33) They encouraged one another during that difficult time of turmoil. Their determination to be happy no matter the circumstance even helped bring a soul to Christ. (Phil. 4: 11-13).
What else can you do? Learn about God!! (II Tim. 2:15) In other words, study so that you know how to think, speak and behave in a godly manner. In I Tim 4:12, Paul tells a very young Timothy not to let anyone look down on his youthfulness but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe. Your behavior can be such that people notice a difference and start to wonder about what (or Who) it is that makes that makes you different. Be the one who says Follow me as I also follow Christ (I Cor. 11:1) Even the young can change the world for the better. The more often you are striving to study, grow, and be godly, the less likely it is that youll take very many of those steps toward sin.
And lastly, why dont you just get busy doing good? Have you heard that old saying: Idle hands are the Devils playground? While the words aren't precisely biblical, the idea certainly is, isnt it? We can always find work to do. Galatians 6 is FULL of commands for us to do good. In verse 2, we're told to help each other out when we're in need or we're suffering. In verse 10, we're to do good to all mankind especially to our brethren. In James 1:27, we're encouraged to help the widows and the orphans. In Acts 16, there are two great examples of servants of God. Immediately after obeying the Gospel, both Lydia (in verse 15) and the jailer (in verse 34) provided a place to sleep and food to eat for Paul and his fellow workers.
There is a lot to do. Even as young adults, you can be great fellow-helpers of the truth. (III John 1-8, esp. 8). You can grab some of your peers, eat lunch, and then head on over to the nursing home and have a devotional with the senior citizens. You can save up a little money and buy one of those bulk boxes of cards at Walmart and send little envelopes of encouragement to those who are sick, grieving or hurting. You can be an assistant to the teacher in a bible class. You can volunteer to prepare communion. You boys can lead prayers and singing, and help pass communion on Sundays. You can help clean up the kitchen and dining tables after a potluck. You can invite school chums to worship or devotionals. The list really does go on an on, ya know?
In the end, it comes down to this fact: We've got to GET and STAY busy doing good so that we can step toward good and not evil. In 40 years, you dont want to be sitting--toothless--in a dingy classroom, do ya? Instead, you want to be smiling with a mouth full of healthy teeth, Helping, Serving, and Loving God WITH ALL YOUR HEART! You want to be happy instead of angry. The thing is though...that road toward happy instead of angry? It starts now. It starts today with the very next decision you make.