How am I Supposed to Feel? (Part 3)

John sees Jane hugging a man very tightly.  His fists clench and his face turns dark red.  John quickly walks up to Jane and the man and yells, "Get your hands off of my wife!" 

"John, he's my brother. I haven't seen him in 10 years."

***

Jane sees John writing at his desk; he never takes his eyes off of his pen and paper.  She feels tears well up in her eyes; the same tears she felt when her boss yelled at her.  Jane walks over to John's desk and says, "I feel like you don't even know or care that I'm home."  

"Oh hey Sweetheart.  I'm sorry.  I was writing you a love note because I know you've had such a hard day."

***



If John knew Jane was hugging her brother, and if Jane knew John was writing her a love letter, both would've felt differently.  In other words, if they knew the truth, it would have set their feelings free.

***

John sees Jane hugging a man very tightly.  He pauses and breathes because he feels blood coming to his face.  "God please help me to find out what's going on with Jane so I can respond the right way."  After feeling the blood leave his face, John walks up to Jane. 

"John, I want you to meet my brother.  I haven't seen him in ten years." 
John smiles and shakes his brother-in-law's hand, glad to finally meet him.

***

Jane sees John writing; he doesn't look up at all.  She pauses and breathes in, not allowing herself to cry just yet.  (She's had a very hard day.)  She prays that God will help her to find out what John is doing without coming to wrong conclusions.  She touches John on the shoulder and he takes her hand. 

"Hey sweetheart. I was just writing you a love letter, hoping your day got better." 

Jane let herself cry, but now with tears of love.

***

 



How are we supposed to feel?  We are supposed to feel whatever the truth dictates at the moment.  But the truth is the key.  We have to know what is actually going on before we speak and act.  This brief time period to find out the truth is the whole point.  As the apostle James said, we have to "be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to (express) anger."  I added "express" because that is the feel of what James is saying.  Paul said to be angry, but not to sin, or DO something wrong, excusing our wrong doing because of our anger.  We are supposed to feel whatever we feel in the moment, but we are not supposed to act on that feeling until we know the truth.