Speak in Haste, Repent at Leisure

While I am a very laid back individual, I happen to have a temper button that few people know how to hit the right way. Over the last few years, I must admit that I have become a bit complacent as I went through life without coming across anyone who disturbed my gratifying peace.

The last two weeks found me under some immense stress. A lot of things were happening on all levels of my life and I had began short-changing myself in order to get them done. I felt weary and out-of-sorts. This was when the attack came.

Someone made some really snarky comments to me. In the moment, I read, put in the to-be-processed-at-a-later-date queue and went on with my life. That later date came Sunday morning, I re-read and felt annoyed to my core. I tapped out a response in seconds. Now let’s just say, when the old me (the fool) gets mad, her aim is generally to wind the other person up and make them madder by telling then the truth in blunt terms in a condescending manner. The old me (the fool) emerged in scathing form and succeeded beyond her wildest dreams. This verse was proven true in a negative way:

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver. – Proverbs 25:11

When the response came, the fool was once again ready to do battle. She did not intend to lose because she hates losing. This time, however, the new me (the prudent) was more vocal. “Let it go. Don’t read the responses. Delete them, unread and walk away. It’s not worth it.”

It took two hours of inner back and forth to come to a decision. I took the advice of the prudent and walked away. I felt at peace with myself as my mind was not forced to process and analyze unnecessary comments and provide a scathing comeback. My soul was not tarnished with additional snarky comments. I realized in that moment that I had won in a way that I hadn’t thought possible. I had won! If anything, I now feel guilty enough to offer an apology.

I was catching up on my Bible reading challenge last night when I came across this verse:

“Fools have short fuses and explode all too quickly; the prudent quietly shrug off insults.” – Proverbs 12:16

Fitting, wouldn’t you say? Comment below and tell me of a time you exploded and then wished you hadn’t.