Self-Control

self-control, noun
1. The act of denying yourself; controlling your impulses.
2. The trait of resolutely controlling your own behavior.

Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.
Proverbs 25:28 NIV

As Paul discoursed on righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and said, "That's enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you."
Acts 24:25 NIV

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23 NIV

So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.
1 Thessalonians 5:6 NIV

But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.
1 Thessalonians 5:8 NIV

Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
1 Timothy 3:2 NIV

People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God
2 Timothy 3:2-4 NIV

Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined.
Titus 1:8 NIV

Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.
Titus 2:2 NIV

Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.
1 Peter 1:13 NIV

The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.
1 Peter 4:7 NIV

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
1 Peter 5:8 NIV

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.
2 Peter 1:5-7 NIV

Yesterday I was watching the news about the assassination of Benazir Bhutto in Pakistan. Pakistan is just one of the places around the world that seems almost hopeless for some kind of peaceful life. It made me think about our republican form of government and our open society and how dependent we are upon each member of our society exercising self-control.

I think it was Plato or Socrates or someone that I barely remember reading that believed that democracy would ultimately fall to anarchy and then anarchy would fall to dictatorship.

I thought it was interesting how many verses I found in the Scripture. And even more interesting the context of several.

My ex-mother-in-law died last night. My daughter remarked to me that she was so surprised she had lost 3 of her grandparents within just a few months. She and my son have no grandparents left alive now. She was more my 2nd or 3rd mother I guess since I met her when I was only 15 or 16. I saw her probably as much or more as my own mother then for the next 28 years or so.