Things I Don't Like About Myself: Devotions From Time Of GraceSample

My impulsiveness

“Look before you leap.” Ha! That’s for other people, right? I know when to buy a car, buy a house, sign a contract, or move to another city to take a new job. When I leap quickly, it shows I’m decisive, self-confident, and right. 

Er, maybe not. Maybe it shows that I’m too lazy to have done my homework, too deaf to have listened to other people, too impatient to have thought through the implications, and too self-centered to have considered the impact of my actions on other people. 

You know, it’s a lot easier to think a little more on the front end than to have to do a lot of apologizing and repairs on the back end: “The prudent give thought to their steps” (Proverbs 14:15). Yeah, baby. They sure do.

Where can I get some brakes for my impulsiveness? First, a little humility therapy. I need to dial down my opinion of my own brilliance. Second, more respect for others. There is huge value in the minds and experiences of the people around me. I need to spend some energy on tapping into that wealth of wisdom. Third, I need to say out loud before I leap, “Father, is this a good idea? Does it align with your ways? Am I missing anything?” 

When the pastor is reading my obituary at my funeral, would he use the adjective prudent to describe me?