Protect Yourself with Self-Control

“²⁸A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.” – Proverbs 25:28 (ESV)

Thinking about how a city, neighborhood, and/or separates and protects itself from the outside is with a wall or fence. This barrier is there to not only separate, but also protects. I know that I see them around the more elite areas and those where others are there to keep someone or something from others.

I now take a look at the scripture above and see how that concept applies to me. In order for me to separate and protect myself from others I need to build walls around me. I have to be able to keep the outside world from infecting me and that is done with my own self-control.

I have been been attacked by others as they do their best to draw me into a fight. And when I have allowed them to get under my skin and affect my emotions, I have played right into their hands and that has led to me being categorized as the one that was out of control and being unreasonable. I let myself go and as such have been exposed to the attack and left myself vulnerable to more people as they see me with my guard down and come in for the attack themselves.

When, by contrast, I have been able to keep my control and simply interact with the others, I come off as being attacked and have had others come to my defense. It is in the cool headed times that I have been able to manage the situations and turn the negative situation into a more open and honest conversation as opposed to the volatile attack it started as.

When I am in control of myself, I am able to defend myself, When I lose control, I seem to be on the defensive without any means of protection or separation. It is up to me to maintain my self-control to separate and protect myself for the attacks of others.

When you are attacked, what is your go to action? Are you one to lose your self-control and attack back? What if you were to maintain you self-control and separate and protect yourself?