Reaction Times and Wisdom

In the world of instantaneous media, anger is the ready venue for running amok. We act, and then we think. Then, we clean up the mess of our words or actions, embracing damage control. Occasionally, our instinctive response is correct, but I have seen plenty of times when my instincts needed more information. As a culture, we lash out because we would rather be FIRST than be RIGHT. We see emails, posts, websites, or texts, and we fail to remember James’ important counsel:

Be quick to listen, SLOW to speak and SLOW to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. (James 1:19-20)

I find that counsel to be incredibly difficult in our current age of instantaneous technology. Recently I had an experiment with that principle and I required a delay in my reaction. I required the opportunity of time, clarity, and evaluation. At the end of that, I returned to the issue and found myself reading the situation differently. I was so relieved that I gave time a chance. I still responded, I still confronted, but my confrontation was fruitful and measured.

How different would our world be if we all took that advice to heart? How different would our marriages, friendships, workplaces, and neighborhoods be if we all chose to temper our tempers with quick listening, slow response, and slow pursuit of anger?

As a postscript. . .after letting things cool for a few days, I found that I had no damage to fix. I addressed the problem, but I was able to do so without creating carnage. Maybe that’s what James had learned 2000 years ago when he was writing to the early church.