TITLE:
Skunks and
Turtles
TEXT:
Ephesians 4:25-27
PROPOSITION:
We must
understand how we react to situations.
QUESTION:
How?
KEY
WORD:
Reactions
SCRIPTURE READING:
Same
INTRODUCTION:
-
I want to try
to classify everyone in this auditorium this morning.
-
You are a
skunk, a turtle, or some combination of the 2.
-
When there are
personality clashes, personal conflicts it is because
-
Opposites
attract skunks and turtles get along just fine
-
Skunks and
skunks always clash
-
Turtles and
turtles never get anything accomplished, no progress
-
Today we will
examine each and see what we can learn.
Skunks
-
Act out
spray others
-
Danger, fear,
cornered attack everything around
-
Temper
quickly flares, then subsides
-
Anger is
short-lived after the spray skunk waddles away, happy and free
-
Those he
sprayed are angry, smelly, hurt cant get over being hit
-
Skunks can wind
up doing illegal things vandalism, robbery, killing
Skunks need to
learn:
-
When and how to
spray
-
Find less
harmful and destructive ways to act out
-
Control their
anger in non-sinful ways
-
Learn what is
socially acceptable stay in the lines
-
Limit the
desire for radical changes
Turtles
-
Draw inside
pull back into a shell
-
Danger, fear,
cornered hold it all in, peek out to see if danger has passed
-
Anger builds
and builds every event adds to greater caution and suspicion
-
Anger builds
slowly, lasts a long time
-
No one else is
hurt the hurt is internal
-
Turtles can
wind up doing personal harm self-esteem, suicide, depression
Turtles need to
learn:
-
Find a way to
let out some of the internal pressure
-
Learn to like
yourself (self-esteem)
-
Force yourself
into groups, activities
-
Learn to trust
others
-
Learn to be
social venture outside the lines try new things
Pressure
Cookers
-
Put in green
beans, little water, on stove
-
Steam builds up
pressure, weight on valve psst, psst, psst lets steam escape
-
Watch Out when
the hissing stops pressure is building green beans on ceiling
-
ALL of us
(skunks and turtles) need to learn how to reduce the pressure in harmless
ways.
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