An old college friend and I were discussing this morning the all too common tendency to overreact to things on social media, which is of course just a part of our general tendency to overreact to things in real life. I said:
Not overreacting in life is a huge and often difficult learned behavior, when it's learned at all. Consider for example the Apostle Peter when in anger he cut off a Roman soldier's ear. Jesus rebuked him. And then something like the following transpired, if I recall the Gospels correctly here.
Peter looked puzzled. "But Lord, you got pretty into it chasing those money changers out of the temple with that big whip."
Jesus smiled. "Yeah, drastic situations can call for drastic actions, but you will remember that everyone got out with body parts intact."
"True. I see what you're saying."
"Don't overreact, or at least, not that far over. Everyone makes mistakes. We do well to mitigate the consequences when we can, not make them much worse."
*Sigh* "Ok, Lord, I understand. I've got ears to hear, as you like to say."
"Good, and now, thanks to my corrective action, that soldier does again too."
"Ha! Good one, Lord. You're pretty quick."
Again, Jesus smiled.
