Reacting or Responding

Day 8

Only God can rein in my natural reactions.

This is a power-packed statement. Have you found it to be true in your life?

Just the other night my son accidently spilled hundreds of airsoft pellets on the tile floor. Yes, on the way to bed at 10:00 gray, black, and white pellets rolled all over the family room. Did I mention it was bedtime? I am tired at bedtime. Gathering up plastic ammunition was the last thing I wanted to do. But God…

My son reacted. His mother responded.

I felt it! God’s power reined in my natural reaction of, “Why didn’t you tighten the lid? If you did, that would not have happened!  It’s late. Good luck cleaning them up. I am going to bed.” Instead my response was, “Good thing we have two brooms and dust pan. It won’t take us long to get them up.”

After his natural reaction of slamming some things, my son responded to my response, “At least I did not spill all 10,000.”

I think we both learned something.

Are you a reactor or a responder?