Q is for Quick to Listen

Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. James 1:19 – 20, NLT

 I’m grateful this verse came to mind before I said something stupid the other night. And now I can write about it.

I’m one of those pathetic people who live on Facebook. I blame it on my publisher who wants me to publicize and promote. The theory is if you like what I’m eating for supper, you will click over to Amazon and buy my books. ( Is it working? The link is on the right.)

So of course I shared my new experience preparing a garden fresh spaghetti squash, topped with butter, salt, and pepper. Some friends responded, suggesting other toppings. It was this comment that pushed me onto the path of “quick to get angry and quick to speak,” the opposite of the verse above.

Sour cream - dairy and if you must do it - low fat though I think not from photos of you and salsa - minimum calories. As for butter, well, what is life without butter??

Wait, whaaat? My friend assumed I would NOT use low-fat sour cream because she has seen from photos of me that I’m a lardo who loves to inhale food?! My feelings were hurt. After being painfully thin in the early years of my life, I’m now carrying a number of excess pounds. (The number will not be revealed. If I tell you, I’ll have to kill you, probably by smothering you with my blubber.)

But this was the first time anyone actually called me fat. (That I know of!) Since I’m also forgetful, the insult slipped my mind until I reviewed the post a few hours later. Then it hurt all over again.

I pondered deleting the comment. I pondered confronting my friend in a private message. Then I remembered James telling me to be slow to speak (or type) and slow to get angry. I decided to attempt doing this God’s way, and within minutes an alternate interpretation of my friend’s comments came to mind.

Maybe she meant I would NOT use low-fat sour cream because she has seen from photos of me that I’m NOT a lardo and I don’t need to worry about the calories in high test sour cream. Because this friend has always been kind and supportive, the new interpretation made much more sense.

My anger and hurt feelings disappeared, replaced by relief that God’s warning had stopped me and given me yet another opportunity to shake my head and laugh at myself.

What's not to laugh about?