Proverbs 22:24-25

"Do not make friends with a hot-tempered man, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn his ways and get yourself ensnared."

Road rage! It seems that every day there is another news article about the stupidity, suddenness, and costliness of this outburst of temper. It seems that an increase in the density of traffic and a corresponding decrease of training in self-control/self-restraint in contemporary society has created an epidemic.

Solomon warns of the danger of associating with those who express an ill-temper. Other people's bad qualities may well rub-off on you, especially when you choose these people as your companions, and this is a particularly bad quality. The potential for danger, rashness, and consequence is exceedingly high for those with bad tempers. Choice of friendships is an important matter. Proverbs 13:20 warns against associating with fools, while encouraging the pursuit of wise companions. You become like those you befriend.

This could be no more important than in the courting/dating process. If the person in whom you have taken an interest is known to have or exhibits a bad temper, flee! The last thing you want in life is to find yourself with a man or woman who brings his/her road rage home.

How do you help a person with whom you must associate (spouse, sibling, parent, etc.) learn to control their bad temper? Proverbs 19:19 addresses this issue. "A hot-tempered man must pay the penalty; if you rescue him, you will have to do it again." If someone with a hot-temper gets himself in trouble, don't rescue him. Don't defend him in the fight or find some way to get him off the hook. If you do, he will not learn from his foolishness and will get himself into the same situation later on. However, if you let him suffer the consequences of his reactions--be it jail, a good thrashing, a job loss, etc.--he may learn from experience and take control of himself and his temper. Anyone can learn to do it if he must.