Keeping An Even KeelGood sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense. (Proverbs 19:11)
even keel (Noun) A situation in which the boat is level and balanced for a smooth ride.
My daughter and I like to have lunch together on Fridays. At the end of one of our outings she turned to me as I parked the car and said, "Dad, you're one of the most patient men I know." Then she added, "But, you're a whole different person when you drive!" And, she didn't mean "different" in a good way. We both laughed but inside I knew she was right and felt ashamed.
We said our good byes, then, I immediately asked the Lord to forgive my aggressive attitude and asked Him to help me change. No sooner did I pray that prayer than He brought today's bible verse to mind (Prov. 19:11).
As I meditated on the Proverb I realized I was acting like a storm tossed boat without a keel. You see, the weight of the keel is what makes a ship self righting. A Christ follower has an incredibly heavy keel; it is the presence of Christ. I'd forgotten that.
Paul's words to the Philippians is another scripture that I've now committed to memory. We should be "anxious for nothing...because the Lord is near" (Phil. 4:5)
Note to self: You can cave in to the pressure or lean in to Christ; it's a choice.
Choose to chill
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