Christ's Example of Reflection instead of Reaction

In today's social media world we are constantly engaged in struggles.

Whether it is a lion killed in Africa, or injustice on the door steps of an inner city hospital, just wait five minutes and a new story will surface with unending outcries from an online mob.

There is never rest for the seeker of online storms.

Even if we don't seek out storms they are often brought to our feet just as they were in Christ's time.

An example of this is when a angry mob brought the woman caught in adultery; even caught in the very act to Christ. Her punishment was death and her condemners sought Christ in order to trick him into confessing the law, that would lead her to her condemnation. (John 8)

We are often confronted with crowds online. Mobs who we feel, at times, are waiting for our response. We get half baked stories and truths that falsely seem to need our "immediate" attention. It is so easy to react before we have all the information.

I love Christ's example in that he simply stooped down and wrote in the sand.

Instead of reacting to the situation, he reflected. We don't know what he was doing and what he was writing. The scripture is unclear of what he was doing and I think it was left that way for a reason. I personally believe he was diffusing the situation, buying some time and giving those around him time to reflect as well. The longer you look at an individual in the eyes the harder it is to cast a stone at them to kill them.

Reaction is easy, reflection takes self control, it takes practice but it is almost always a better way in the long run, when dealing with information.

I have recently thought a lot about Christ and his example and how he delt with this angry mob, who was ready to kill a woman on his command and how I can apply it to dealing with the angry online mobs that I see forming daily on my newsfeeds and how I choose my personal inner response to them. I may not have the power to help them reflect or leave and go their houses without casting stones but I do have the power to stop my self, stoop down and write in the sand and reflect for a while before I react to situations myself.