"Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil" - Psalm 37:8 (NIV)
They were neighbours who couldn't get along. On February 3rd 2021, after a heavy snow fall, in Pennsylvania, US, Lisa and James Gois decided to clear mounds from their parking lot. Snow flakes when they fall tend to collect into small mounds which only melt away as the sun comes out.
The Gois started throwing the waste on to Jeffrey Spaide's ground, their neighbour, and he didn't like it. He strongly objected. An argument broke out and soon sprawled into a yard of expletives and obscene gestures being hurled back and forth.
Suddenly Spaide run to his house and came back with a pistol which he aimed at the couple. They dared him on. He fired, first at Lisa and then James! Both down, he went back to his house and pulled out a rifle. He went for his victims already on the ground and fired again rounds of bullet into their fallen bodies. Neighbours then called police. Once it arrived and before it could apprehend Spaide he took his life. In less than a hour you had three neighbours on the ground.
What do you think was the cause of this tragedy? It couldn't be the snow. Anger is certainly the chief cause. There are people out there holding an avalanche of issues and all you need is to scratch them a little bit and suddenly its fire. Many times the wise person decides to ignore, after all, as you see in this case, you have no idea how some might react. Too much anger can make people act irrationally.
Anger is a strong hold that can push down any life and hold it in its grip. It is important that none ends up bound with consuming anger. To release ourselves from this anger we need to surrender our lives to Christ. Scripture says, once we do, "the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:7).
Prayer for today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, to you I surrender any issues of anger that might be affecting me that you liberate me from bitterness and flood me with your peace and joy!
