The 3 Second Rule

I was recently conversing with someone about the problem we have with our tongues, and he said he had the 3 second rule. I asked what that was and he said that basically he tried to wait 3 seconds before responding to someone. I thought about it. That is actually pretty sound advice.

Think about it. When do we typically get ourselves in trouble talking? It is when we speak before we think! When we blurt out something in retaliation against something or someone without really considering the damage we are going to cause, it is like tossing a live grenade in a room and hoping everyone can just get over it.

If we can learn to think before we speak and breathe at the same time, oxygen just might get to our brain and allow us to actually say something sane. Have you noticed that people who are going off on others often come across as crazy? That is because in many ways they are. Rational people don’t degrade and tear in to others.

Yes, you have every right to defend yourself, your family, and your country. You have every right to stand up for what you believe in…but, you don’t have the right to run over others for your own purposes. In school we call that bullying, and it is unfortunately something that some people still try to do as adults!

My advice here is that we do our part to be peacemakers as much as possible with all people, but where necessary, we take a stand. Let’s just make sure that the stand we take is righteous….not self-righteous. There is a big difference, and other people will see it for what it is if you are letting your anger out on someone over something that really does not matter in the scheme of things. Take three seconds to think and to breathe before you respond and see if things are not much calmer in your world. Speak the truth in love.

Shalom!

Dan Skognes