Honoring God’s Call to Patience, Understanding, and Temperance
Well, the Browns won their first preseason game behind the heroics of a flashy
young quarterback by the name of Shedeur Sanders, and the hype has quickly reached
a fever pitch. Some are calling for his number to be retired; others are saying that he
should be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The excitement is certainly understandable, given the Browns’s lack of success
since returning to Cleveland more than a quarter century ago. However, is the reaction
to the rookie’s performance a bit over the top?
There’s no harm in overreacting in a positive way. The Lord wants us to celebrate
our joys in life. But, when we overreact in a negative way, there are likely to be harmful
consequences, the likes of which we see on the news every day, from road rage to
domestic violence to mass shootings.
Scripture advises us to temper our emotions, most notably in the well-known
passage from the Book of James (1:19), which offers this advice: “Let every person be
quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.” Ephesians 4:2 supports that notion with this
passage: “With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bear with one another in
love.”
Such wisdom can keep us balanced, stable, and grounded. So cheer all you
want for Shedeur, but try not to overreact when he throws his first interception. Likewise,
as followers of Christ, let us not overreact in a negative way to anything. Instead, let us
be kind, loving, and patient, not only on Sunday, but also on every other day of the
week.