3. Displacement

Image via Wikipedia3.  Displacement
The third aggressive adjustment is Displacement.  It happens when someone who is stronger than I causes me to be upset.  I then turn against an innocent but weaker person.  For instance, suppose a worker who is angry at his boss goes home and begins to argue with his wife.  In such a case, who is the

stronger person causing the irritation?
weaker, innocent person against whom the worker turned?
person who used Displacement?
It is important to remember that Displacement is also an unconscious psychological adjustment.  In other words, the husband actually thinks that he is correcting a real fault in his wife.  He does not realize that he is letting out irritation which has been caused by his boss at work, because he does not want to stand up against his boss and possibly lose his job.

Let's take a Biblical example of displacement from the life of David's brother.  When the giant Goliath threatened Israel's army each day, all of the soldiers were afraid of him, including David's oldest brother Eliab.  At that time David was very young.  He arrived at the army's camp with some cheese and bread his father had sent to his older brothers.  Read I Samuel 17:28.

How did Eliab greet David?
Who was the weakest person against whom Eliab could let his anger go?
Who was the strong person who caused Eliab's anger, and whom Eliab did not want to face?
What was the psychological adjustment used by Eliab in this case?
Remember, displacement happens when someone who is than I am irritates me.  I in turn get angry with another person who is than I am, even though that person is completely .

Write a description of "Displacement".  Then provide a "Biblical Example".

Thus far we have considered three psychological adjustments.  What are they?

We have studied three psychological adjustments.  Now we will consider Two adjustments.  These psychological adjustments are ways in which a person unconsciously withdraws from unpleasant situations.

Just One Moment!  Stop and Think: Who pays for the dishes you break when you become angry with someone who is stronger than you?  Why not ask the Lord to make you more humble and sensitive so that you may not make innocent people suffer.