Regrets. . . I’ve had a few. . . well, more than few. The older I get, the more I realize that my default setting is to be and do in ways that lead to a hindsight oftentimes filled with regret. There are far too many thoughts that have gone straight from my brain to my mouth without stopping for a layover in the holding tank of discernment and common sense. I truly hope that just an increased level of awareness has helped me get better at self-control. . . especially when it comes to being quick to listen and slow to speak (James 1:19).
To say that I’m not alone in this is not to diminish my own responsibility for myself by excusing these tendencies away by saying, “Well. . . everyone else does it!” Sure, that’s true. But my permission can’t come from the crowd. There’s a higher, counter-cultural standard we’re called to when we’re people called by God to be His followers.
Grasping this is essential to our spiritual health and advancement of human flourishing, especially in a world where technology and social media have afforded us opportunities to jump straight from brain to fingers without even a second of hesitation. And in today’s world, we’re encouraged, expected, and nurtured into spewing out whatever comes to mind whenever it comes to mind in reaction to anything and everything on our nation’s conscience. We sacrifice prudence, humility, and good judgment because, God forbid, we aren’t heard in response to the issue du-jour.
Source: CPYU
