Bullets for the Battle

Reaction Time

Someone once told me that it is not a man’s actions, but his reactions that prove his strength of character. The older I get, the more this makes sense. Actions can be planned, though through. Reactions come immediately, suddenly, with little chance to prepare.

I remember driving down the street some time ago talking to a young university student about his future. I was happy with the world, thinking through my thoughts as I shared with this young man, and I was musing to myself that I was doing a pretty good job of stating forth the faith. Suddenly, a car pulled in front of me without signaling. At this point it would have be nice to say it was a “crazy woman driver,” but unfortunately, it was one of my own gender who, at the last moment, had decided he was going to make a turn. I hope I don’t lose faith with the “holy readers” of this column or that my rabbinical dignity is tarnished too easily by the following confession; but my reaction to the maneuvering of this male drive was one of surprise, fear and intense irritation as I threw on my breaks to keep from hitting him. I found myself thinking I’d like to tell him a few things; but as I calmed down, I realized I had been guilty of the same offense on many occasions.

The above experience is true of all of us in all areas of life. We think we can take honest criticism until someone tells us where we are wrong. We think we can love everyone until the very unlovable person confronts us with his unlovability. We pride ourselves on being rational until our emotions are stirred. We deceive ourselves into thinking we’re on top of the situation until a mood of passion destroys us.

A man’s reactions always are a finer test of what he really is than his actions. Jesus Christ said that the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. Quite a few years ago a young man brutally murdered eight nurses in Chicago as they came to their apartment, one by one. He didn’t suddenly decide to do this, but had been thinking dirty and ignorantly for years. His reaction to this opportunity simply displayed the thrust of his thoughts. He though evil for years, and it finally came out. A man never suddenly goes wrong, but rather is suddenly found out.

If you want to know what a man is thinking, watch his actions over a long period of time; for as our Lord said, “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” All of Jesus’ reactions were perfect. That’s because His mind was constantly set on God. He controlled His actions as well as His reactions. That’s the test of greatness. How do you test out?