A bad-tempered person
Irritable, cross, bad-tempered, grumbling, crabbed, edgy, surly, petulant, ill-tempered, cantankerous, tetchy, ratty, testy, grouchy, querulous, peevish, huffy, crotchety, sullen, sulky.
I want to delve into a modern misconception of faith & let’s get to the base of this:
I’m not a “chirpy” person, I don’t constantly wear a “jokeress grin” and run around throwing petals out to greet strangers, does this mean I’m “grumpy” as many would presume and does this mean I am not walking in Yahweh’s will?
Does this slot me into the “grumpy” bracket? Many would like to think so!
In the body of Christ many are called to be sheep, Jesus himself used this illustration to explain his leadership as our Good Shepherd but I choose to see myself as a Sheepdog, let me explain.
While working as an adult tutor helping those in long term unemployment one of the topics we would discuss would be behavioural brackets of man:
(There is a lot more detail to this subject but for now this is as in-depth as we need to go.)
PASSIVE BEHAVIOUR
This involves failing to express our wants, needs or feelings or communicating them in an indirect or apologetic way.
When we fail to communicate our concerns or wishes, or express them in a hesitant, joking or self-depreciating way, other people will not know how we feel or will misinterpret our actions. As passive responders we allow others to 'walk over us' (the doormat syndrome). We allow our rights to be violated in the belief that we have fewer rights, or more responsibilities than others, and that we have less personal worth than they do.
AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOUR
Hostile words or actions that communicate disrespect towards others constitutes aggressive behaviour.
It involves standing up for one's rights and expressing one's thoughts, feelings and beliefs in a way which is usually inappropriate and always violates the rights of the other person.
Superiority is maintained by putting others down.
ASSERTIVE BEHAVIOR
Characteristics of assertive behaviour include expressing your feelings, needs, ideas, and rights in ways that don’t violate the rights of others. Assertive behaviour is usually honest, direct, expressive, spontaneous, and self-enhancing. Assertive persons make their own choices, are confident, and feel good about themselves while being assertive and afterward. They usually achieve their goals; when they don’t, they still feel good about themselves because they know they have been straightforward. Acting assertively reinforces their good feelings about themselves, improves self-confidence, and creates free, honest, and open relationships with others.
If this pattern is applied spiritually the
(The only power that we should submit fully to is Yahweh & never the world)
The world would expect Christians to be of a passive nature & most of the time we are, we silently stand by as corruption creeps into our government, our schools & our churches. We allow false gods and false teachings to be freely promoted and would never dare to speak out against these outrages in fear of offence to someone else. Our churches have become full of leaders who want to build numbers and not strength.
I am not going to be the happily bleating sheep, who will tread the path that others make, accepting the stench that infuriates Yahweh to be acceptable for todays church.
Luke 3:11
John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same..
Unacceptable is the Aggressive/Wolves that wait in darkness to take the sheep, to prey on the unprotected & lost. How do you know a wolf, how can you be prepared for the attack from within,
Read the sign, know their scent.
A wolf will be causing problems in the church and amongst the believers.
An assertive believer should be building up the church, not tearing it down and causing divisions as the wolf from within will.
Perhaps he is a smooth talker (devious, cunning) and believes that his smooth talk will gain him follows and feed his own belly (pride). He is not looking to edify anyone but himself he is selfish and cunning. Look at these teachings and warning from Paul to several of the churches in his day; they are relevant in today’s churches also.
Matthew 7:15
Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.
Then we come to the Assertive/Sheepdog, yeah from time to time the sheepdog will nip at the heels of the sheep, he’ll bark & growl, chase with aggression but all done for the good of the herd, the sheepdog knows his masters will and recognises his voice but carries out this ministry on his own, yes the sheepdog is in the flock, working for the flock but never really part of the flock, he’ll risk his life to keep predators at bay and always in submission to Yahweh.
Sheepdogs are mentioned in the Bible. Job 30:1 and they are “the sword” Paul mentions in
Romans 13:4, the protective and justice-seeking arm, which Paul describes as;
“a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.”
Sheepdogs perform an important societal function, one that is ordained by God.
So yes God can use grumpy, standoffish people, (like me) God can use those who society would easily reject just look at the list of men & women who Yahweh called to lead and direct his people. All He needs is for that grumpy or happy, that hurting or loving, that peaceful or anxious person to submit to His will!
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