Respond Or React? Poem by Luke Easter

When finding yourself under attack,
Do you respond or do you react?
What’s the difference between the two?
Well, which one shows the Jesus in you?

Cut off in traffic, are you flipping the bird?
Exactly what from your mouth is heard?
Who begins to swear, rant and rave?
Is it someone born again and saved?

A lot of talk is about seeing the Jesus in me,
John 8: 32 assures we are certainly set free,
Scripture continues with the word indeed,
Cut off in traffic is not being cut to bleed.

Does your responding genuinely reflect?
Or is the reacting another sign of neglect?
Is that really Jesus inside shinning through?
Or maybe once again just the same old you?

So, how many times do you shake your fist?
Instead of, “I’m glad it’s not worse than this? ”
If profanity roars from your mouth as you speak,
Then Jesus inside must be playing hide and seek.

Christianity’s not a switch turned off and on,
Or days where some are short, some are long,
It is a bright light shinning atop the highest hill,
Even when you can’t pay your electric bill.

How about talking when others have the floor?
Are you one to quietly close or slam the door?
The church is having a banquet it’s time to eat,
Who’s close to the food or in the farthest seat?

Acknowledgment from a kiss or a knife in the back?
Handshake and smile while planning a sneak attack?
Cain was rejected offering the bottom not the top,
Able pleased God giving Him the cream of his crop.

Do not react to any situation by what you see,
Respond on the word of God because you believe,
Reacting is usually based on fear and neglect,
Responding is when you always forgive and forget.

To stay on the right track it takes a faithful friend,
Just like what I have in my sister, Toni Anderson,
Whenever my actions begin to show a spiritual lack,
She will say, “my brother, respond and don’t react.”

w/Toni Anderson