Good temper is a very remarkable
ingredient in becoming a good human being. We are always inclined to look upon
bad temper as a very harmless weakness. We speak of
it as a mere infirmity of nature, a family
failing, a matter of temperament, not a thing to take into very serious account in estimating a
man's character. And yet here, right in the heart
of this analysis of temperament, it finds a
place; and the Bible again and again returns to
condemn it as one of the most destructive
element in human nature. The peculiarity of ill temper is that it is the vice of the virtuous. You might know men who are all
but perfect but for an easily ruffled quick
temper. This compatibility of ill temper with
high moral character is one of the strangest
and the saddest problem.
Now society has no doubt whatever as to
which of these is worse whether
sins of body or sins of disposition. We have no balance to weigh one another's
sins but fault in higher nature may be less venial than those in lower.
For embittering life, for breaking up communities,
for destroying the most sacred
relationships, for devastating homes, for withering up men and women,
for taking the bloom of childhood; in short for sheer gratuitous misery
producing power, this influence stands alone. Jealousy, anger, pride, uncharity,
cruelty-in varying proportions are the ingredients of ill temper. Such sins of
disposition are worse to live in, and for others to live with than sins of body.
A man with bad temper could only make heaven miserable for all the people to
live in.
About the Author:
The Author is Ms. Shikha Arora, PRT Educator, Meenakshi World School
www.meenakshiworldschool.com
