The Beauty of Self-Control: Chapter 1 - The Beauty of Self-Control
By J.R. Miller
The Beauty of Self-Control
by
J. R. Miller
Chapter 1
The Beauty of Self-Control
All of life should be beautiful. God is a God of beauty. He never made anything that was not beautiful. Paul, in designating certain qualities of character which every Christian should strive to attain, names "whatever things are lovely." Nothing that is unlovely should be allowed in the life of any Christian. We should always strive to be beautiful in life. Marden names as signs of deterioration in character, "when you are satisfied with mediocrity, when commonness does not trouble you, when a slighted job does not haunt you."
Self-control is one of the finest things in any life. It is not a single element in character--but something that has to do with all the element. It binds them all together in one. In one of Paul's clusters of the qualities of a noble character, he names--love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, ending with self-control. Self-control is self-mastery. It is kingship over all life. At the center of your being, sits yourself. Your seat ought to be a throne. If you are not in control, if there are any forces in your nature which are unruly, which do not acknowledge your sway--you are not the king which you should be. Part of your kingdom is in insurrection. The strength of your life is divided. The strong man is he whose whole being is subject to him.
Perfect self-control is ideal life. You are like a man driving a team of spirited horses. So long as he sits on the driver's set and the horses obey him implicitly, acknowledging the slightest pressure upon the reins--all is well. But if the animals become ungovernable, begin to chomp on the bits, and cease to obey the driver's impulse, and then dash away from his guidance--he has lost his control. A man has self-control when he sits in his place--and has his hands on all the reins of his life. His is kingly when he has complete master of his temper, his speech, his feelings, his appetites; when he can be quiet under injury and wrong; deeply hurt but showing no sign of malice; patient and still under severe provocation; when he can stand amid temptations and not yield to them.
A man when insulted may break out into a passion of anger, and become a very "son of thunder" in the vehemence of his rage. But that is not strength. The man who when treated unjustly remains silent, answers not a word, with cheeks white, yet restraining himself, showing no resentment--but keeping love in his heart--is the strong man. The Wise Man puts it thus: "He who is slow to anger--is better than the mighty; and he who rules his spirit--is better than he who takes a city."
There are men who rule other men--but cannot rule themselves. They are victorious in battle--but they cannot control their own temper, restrain their own speech, or calm and quiet their own hearts. There is nothing beautiful in such a life. Nothing more effectually mars a life--than fretfulness, discontent, worry, or impatience. Nothing is more pitiful--than a life which is made to be strong, kingly, noble, calm, and peaceful--but which is, instead, the slave of every excitement, every temper, every resentment, every appetite and passion. Someone says, "Alexander conquered all the world--except Alexander."
Not only is self-control strong -- it is also beautiful. Anger is not beautiful. Ungoverned temper is not lovely. Rage is demonic. But a spirit calm, strong, and unflustered, amid storms of feeling and all manner of disturbing emotions--is sublime in its beauty. "A temper under control, a heart subdued into tenderness and patience, a voice cheerful with hope, and a countenance bright with kindness--are invaluable possessions to any man or woman."
