The tendency is to react with greater expression than necessary when something throws us for a loop. Something negative happens, and we drop things we thought were important, or grab ahold of something we never thought we would. Call it over reacting to, or flinching from, more than the circumstances seemingly call for.
Did you know that an armadillo jumps straight up in the air when startled? I’ve seen ‘em! Nearly 6 feet high! Imagine for a moment the surprise a radiator receives when an armadillo is surprised right before you drive over them… Ping… Pong… Ding… Dong… Yep… I’ve seen the results.
Scare someone with something they can’t stand and you have no idea how far they will run, or even how hard they will hit you when they realize it was you pulling the prank!
Get fooled by a scam, and you either get mad, or get even, probably both!
It’s been two weeks since my sister passed. I’m feeling ready to over react, but, I promise, I will do nothing wrong or dangerous. Still, I will dig it out and understand what happened to make sure I protect my family better. Life has a way of throwing us surprises, but we are in control of how we respond!
Handling Life
It’s important to not overreact to everything that comes your way. Get in the habit of responding negatively, then everything gets fanned into something larger than we can handle. Life is complicated when we are over-reactors.
Complainers get louder. Haters get more vitriolic. Runners get a faster start and have a difficult time slowing down. Hearts beat constantly faster, Adrenalin freely flows, turmoil reigns.
There is a flip side. Constantly keeping control means you loose the ability to respond as many do. Tears do not flow. Hearts don’t break. Stern looks are the normal view of the world. It almost makes you feel cold to the circumstance.
Handling life means I understand the ranges of both sides of the coin. Some over react, others react little at all. My world flex’s between the ranges, moving from side to side as needed.
Think About It
Jesus laughed and loved, but he was also touched by the sinful, wounded, and hurting. He dealt with death, and corrupt religious authorities. His ministry was not one of ease, he was starting the new covenant that was what we claim to be part of today, 2,000 years later.
He tells us stories and paints life’s ups and downs and explains how people do react, how they shouldn’t react, and the consequences of both.
Peter overreacts around the fire as Jesus is being tried and scourged. His repentant reaction is later the opposite, but still in the extreme. Jesus is recognized on the shore and before you know it this fisherman is over the side and swimming faster than anyone could imagine!
Look at Paul. As Saul, he was a hater of those that followed Jesus. But then, blinded and commissioned. Healed and saved. His new mission is an almost diametrically opposed to everything he was. It’s almost an over reaction to his past. In fact, Ananias was almost fearful of going to where Paul was to pray for him. “Lord…don’t you know what he’s done???”
“But the Lord said unto him,
Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me,
to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.”
Acts 9:15-16 (KJV)
Think about Paul’s mission. He’s now reaching the world, sacrificing everything he might have hoped to be by becoming what he could not have at one time understood. His reaction to this past kept him focused on his mission!
It was a miracle in process!
Here’s My Thought Today
We need more miracles working in our lives so we do not overreact in a negative way. When you might have gasped, cursed, bucked up, lashed out, ran, or fought, you now need to learn how to “under react” or act appropriate to your situation and mission of life.
Road rage causes us to fight another 2-ton car with our own? Really? That makes sense? Why do we give in to those aggressive tendencies? Would it not be better to simply stand down and let others win? Sure! Life is precious. Remember! Your witness is showing!
I’m sure you need an outlet, or as a pressure cooker you will explode some day. We know. We’re waiting for it to happen.
Through life I’ve worked hard on managing my reactions to the challenges that surround me every day. Sometimes my overreaction, (yes, I’m just as guilty as others) bubbles to the surface and if I’m wise I’ll dampen it down. If I’m tired the reaction will explode like a volcano, twirl like a tornado, and flow over the banks of life.
Learning how you react, analyzing past results, and planning better the next time…yep, this should teach us all how to respond when life is challenging you!
Control your reactions or they will control you. All your emotions are valid, but your reactions are suspect when you scare others. Click To Tweet