Reflect Before You React

“Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.” (Proverbs 14:29)

It is loving to slow to anger. The one “who flies off the handle” cannot handle conflict in a reasonable manner. So, we should tell ourselves, “Don’t react; reflect.” Ponder all the consequences of every conceivable decision. Pray. Meditate. Reflect. Solomon says a “hasty temper” – a quick path to anger – is foolishness.

This reminds me of Naaman in II Kings 5 who had leprosy and was hoping that Elisha would simply heal him, but instead was told to do down to the Jordan River and dip his body into the river 7x. He even complained about the choice of river! Naaman got furious with this counsel – “But Naaman was angry and went away, saying, ‘Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper. Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?’ So he turned and went away in a rage” (II Kings 5:11-12).

Naaman was quick to be anger instead of being thankful any kind of relief from his leprosy was even possible. He didn’t like the remedy – showing his selfishness. He was not slow to anger. It is more impressive to reflect than react in anger.  

Want a powerful tool to help resolve conflict and NOT make conflict worse? Hurry up and wait; hurry up and reflect; hurry up and think. Don’t just react. Rare does someone react “in the blink of an eye” in a positive and helpful way. That is likely one of the reasons James tells us to “quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger” (Jas 1:19). Don’t react; reflect.