YOU GET TO CHOOSE YOUR RESPONSE

Reference text: Matthew 8:28-34

Some reactions to situations are automated – the knee jerk, the hand pulling back automatically from a hot surface or the eyelids closing at imminent danger. Others are however selected responses – answering a question, responding to a physical  threat or to specific information. In real terms, every one gets to choose their responses.

In today’s parable, Jesus delivered two demon possessed men in the region of Gadara. The herdsmen go back to town to tell the story and the townsfolk come along and beg Jesus to depart from their territory. Juxtaposing this with the Samaritan woman at the well in John chapter 4- she speaks to Jesus and returns to town to tell the story. The response of these people were to come down and hear more.

Not every reaction of yours is automated. So while you cannot always  predict the actions of others accurately always, you have a choice how to respond. Your response is often tied to prior experiences of the said event, your state of mind, your interpretation of what it means (that might be very different from what the originator intended to communicate) and against what metrics you weigh your response.

You can be led to respond by three things: your head(logic), your heart (emotion) or the word of God. Work towards the latter because even though “Word- complaint responses and reactions” may not be the default posture for you, on many occasions, that will save you a lot of heartache.

#sly