We were created to be emotional beings, but sometimes our emotions can get the best of us. This happens in especially tense and difficult situations. How we respond in those moments can say a lot about us which is why the ability to “keep our peace” when the “heat is on” is an important watermark for the believer. Self-control is not something we can achieve on our own, rather it is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit as He works in and through us. As Fr. Ward points out in our lesson for this week, the degree to which we are walking in and with the Spirit will ultimately determine the degree to which we are able to exhibit those characteristics that define a person with RARE leadership. That RARE (R-A-R-E) is an acronym with the first “R” for “Remain Relational,” the “A” for “Act Like Yourself,” the second “R” for “Return To Joy,” and the “E” for “Endure Hardship.”