Are you a Skunk? Are you a Turtle?

1
Are you a Skunk?Are you a Turtle?

• Ephesians 425-29

2
Skunks or Turtles?

• 25 Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one
  of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are
  members of one another. 26 "Be angry, and do not
  sin" do not let the sun go down on your wrath,
  27 nor give place to the devil.
• 28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather
  let him labor, working with his hands what is
  good, that he may have something to give him who
  has need. 29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of
  your mouth, but what is good for necessary
  edification, that it may impart grace to the
  hearers.
• Ephesians 425-29

3
Skunks or Turtles?

• I want to attempt to classify everyone in this
  building today.
• You are either a skunk, a turtle, or some
  combination of the two.
• There is a natural law Opposites attract
• Skunks and turtles get along fine
• Skunks and skunks always clash raise a stink
• Turtles and turtles never get anything done

4
Skunks or Turtles?

• Skunks and turtles describe
• How we handle stress
• How we deal with pressure
• How we cope with adversity
• How we vent our anger and frustration
• The way we survive disappointment
• The kind of temperament we have

5
Skunks

• ACT OUT
• When in danger, afraid, cornered, threatened
• They spray everything, everyone around them
• TEMPERAMENT
• Gasoline temper boom! flares up quickly
• When you are angry everyone knows it
• Anger is short lived
• The skunk just waddles off, happy and free

6
Skunks

• Their anger quickly flares up and it just as
  quickly subsides
• He is over it and goes on with his life
• Those he sprayed are angry, smelly, hurt
• RESULTS
• Skunks can do harmful things vandalism,
  robbery, murder, lying , injure others, rape,
  home invasion
• We call it acting out

7
Skunks Need to Learn

• When and how to spray
• Find less harmful and destructive ways to act out
  and escape from the danger
• Control their anger in non-sinful ways
  Ephesians 426 "Be angry, and do not sin"
• Learn what is socially acceptable
• Limit the desire for radical response or change

8
Turtles

• WITHDRAW
• When threatened, in danger, fear the turtle
  pulls back inside
• Pull in your head and feet and close the door
• They hold everything inside never shows on the
  outside
• The anger slowly builds and builds
• This type of anger builds slowly, lasts a long
  time
• Ephesians 426b do not let the sun go down on
  your wrath

9
Turtles

• RESULTS
• They keep it all inside
• No one is hurt no bad language, no foul
  smelling spray, no tongue lashing
• They wind up hurting themselves
• Turtles are more likely to commit suicide, go
  into a deep depression, withdraw from society,
  become a sociopath
• Turtle can become a con-artist, cheat, identity
  theft, embezzler, (quiet and subtle acts)

10
Turtles Need to Learn

• Find a way to let out some of the internal
  pressure, anger, frustration
• Learn to like themselves have some self-esteem
• To be in groups, social activities
• Try new things, venture outside the lines
• Stick your neck out.
• Learn to trust others

11
Pressure-cookers

• Put in some green beans, a little water
• Steam builds up inside
• The weight on top begins to jiggle and let off
  steam
• PSST - - PSST - - PSST pressure is OK

12
Pressure-cookers

• WATCH OUT IF THE HISSING STOPS!
• Pressure is building and building
• Soon there are green beans all over the ceiling

13
Pressure-cookers

• ALL OF US SKUNKS AND TURTLES NEED TO LEARN HOW
  TO REDUCE THE STRESS, FEAR, ANXIETY, ANGER AND
  FRUSTRATION IN OUR LIVES
• IN HARMLESS WAYS!

14
Skunks / Turtles

• We must learn the important lessons of Ephesians
  4.
• Which type of temper do you have?
• Skunk explodes and subsides
• Turtle builds and lasts a long time
• We all have a temper. We all get angry.
• Jesus did. And when He had looked around at them
  with anger, being grieved by the hardness of
  their hearts, Mark 35

15
Skunks / Turtles

• Here are the challenges before us
• Control our temper
• Express our anger in appropriate ways
• Learn to handle the stress and frustrations in
  life
• Keep your life, example, words, and actions in
  keeping with Christian principles
• Be a Christian (skunk) or a Christian (turtle)