Ever lose your cool?
Do you ever lose your cool?
Our entire nation and much of the world were shocked when actor Will Smith came unhinged at the Oscars a few months ago. He arose from his seat, walked on stage, and promptly smacked host Chris Rock across the head and face. Smith will carry that unwise decision with him for the rest of his life.
Will was prompted to such an outburst because Rock made a derogatory joke about Smith’s wife. Perhaps Will had every right to be angry, but we all know his response was foolish
Have you ever gone off the rails and given an inappropriate response that you later regretted? Please say, “Yes,” or you are lying or deluded. We’ve all been there, done that probably on numerous occasions.
Working on my upcoming book, I have seriously studied the Bible story of Nehemiah for months. Nehemiah has much wisdom to impart, and I recently ran across a short phrase that speaks volumes.
Nehemiah traveled from the Persian capital Susa, eight hundred miles to his hometown of Jerusalem, where he would oversee the restoration of the broken-down walls of the city. A short while into the project, a few local tribal leaders who despised the Jews revolted against the builders and intended to halt the work. Their plans were a severe threat to the project, and Nehemiah quickly responded by giving a call to arms among his people. Half the builders now carried swords and spears while the other half continued construction. The opposition was thwarted, and the work continued.
Any extensive endeavor is accompanied by a period of resistance that can be demoralizing and painful. How one responds to opposition reveals a measure of maturity and self-control. Our first reaction is often anger and a desire to lash out at our foes.
But Nehemiah’s problems didn’t end with opposition from outside the camp; he encountered serious dissent within his own ranks. Much of the wall builder’s labor force was going on strike! Commoners among the workers were suffering because of a famine, their taxes to the Persian king were more than they could afford, and the wealthy, including the priests, were extorting their money and keeping the lower classes in servitude. They finally showed up at Nehemiah’s door and filed an official complaint in not-so-favorable terms. “Make this right, or we are quitting!”
Nehemiah was steaming mad. How in the world could these wretches turn on their own people and break the Law in the process?! As I said earlier, it would have been expected that the frustrated leader would lash out at these crooks. But then comes a short phrase that reveals his metal.
In Nehemiah 5:7, he stated his reaction. “I consulted with myself.” Some Bible versions put it that he “pondered” these matters.
In this pregnant moment when all hell was breaking loose, many of us might react, as Ozzy Osborn put it, “I’m going off the rails on a crazy train.” It wasn’t enough that this volunteer leader had to put up with outsiders’ bologna; now, he was getting from among his people. Some days you just can’t seem to win, right?
Nehemiah handled the situation wisely by stopping for a few moments, pondering the situation, gathering his wits, and presenting himself with advice. There is a lot of wisdom in the phrase, “I consulted with myself.” In other words, look before you leap.
In these situations, it is easy to react so quickly, with immense emotion, that we make the problem worse. It’s like pouring gas on a fire.
Instead of a rash response, this wise person settled himself long enough to gather his thoughts, talk to God about it, and devise a workable plan to deal with the situation. It is hard to hear God’s voice when you are shouting at someone, so a quick self-consultation is good advice.
A typical natural reaction would have been to devise severe punishment for these wealthy citizens, but Nehemiah refrained. Had he done so, the problem would have gotten worse and might have wholly halted the project. Meanwhile, their enemies outside the camp were looking on with delight. Detractors love to see people of faith lambasting one another.
He called together all the offenders who were the folks with fat wallets. He called them to task, reminding the culprits in no uncertain terms that they were not only acting unethically but also transgressing the Law of Moses and dragging God’s name through the mud. Whew, that took some courage! The one who was about to become Governor of the region was not backing off or down. Guess what? It worked!
Nehemiah 5:8 describes what I think must have been a comical scene. “Then they were silent and could not find a word to say.” Can’t you just see the faces of these money-grabbers? They must have looked like a kid who got caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
They immediately agreed to make right what they were doing wrong, and the Governor made them all, including the priests, vow before God that they would stop these cruel practices.
When faced with a volatile situation, a person who can consult themselves has a much better chance of solving the problem. The next time you find yourself confronted with an unfair or unjust situation, it would be wise to stop a few moments, quietly give yourself advice, and listen to the voice of God for His guidance.
You could later say, “I am sure glad I took time to consult with myself.”
Live Inspired!
Don Mark
