By Rae Lynn DeAngelis
Forty plus years ago when I was in high school, Mr. Brannigan, my Drama Ed teacher, spent several weeks exposing our class to classic movies, plays, and radio dramas. He claimed it was important to understand the evolution of theater before acting onstage. I took the class because it sounded like fun. And it was. In fact, it was the most memorable class of my high school years.
I remember when Mr. Brannigan introduced us to a radio broadcast entitled, “The War of the Worlds.” Before playing a portion of the actual broadcast, he provided some interesting facts. The radio broadcast was originally aired on October 30, 1938. It was a dramatization of the H.G. Wells fictional novel, The War of the Worlds, which was about an alien invasion. Roughly two-thirds of the four-hour program was acted out as if it were a real, live news report.
Some of the listeners tuned into the program late and missed the introduction explaining the program was fictional. As a result, many believed the alien invasion was real! Police and newspaper outlets received calls from panic-stricken listeners ready to flee their homes.
Although Orsen Welles eventually interrupted the broadcast to announce it was indeed fiction, the program went down in history as one of the most consequential fictional broadcasts ever.
This reveals something important about the human psyche. Whether something is true or not, if a person believes it is true, they will react with the same conviction. Unfortunately, the enemy knows this all too well, and he uses it to his advantage relentlessly. No wonder there’s such division in our marriages, churches, communities, and countries.
The lesson?
Before we react, we must pause and check the facts.
Spoken words are powerful and can trigger strong convictions and emotions. However, our perception of spoken words, even if they are inaccurate, can be just as powerful. Perhaps even more so.
The line between fiction and reality is easily blurred, especially in today’s world of AI generated technology. But it’s not just manipulated videos, images, posts, or memes that get our dander up. Sometimes it’s what we believe we have heard coming from our spouse, co-worker, or friend.
Misunderstanding, miscommunication, and misinterpretation can cause all kinds of problems. Just ask my husband. How many times do I react based on what I think I’ve heard my husband say, rather than what he has actually said? I’m afraid too many times to count. (I’m sorry babe.)
Honestly, it’s something I’m trying hard to work on. God does not want us to react prematurely. Rather, He wants us to pause and react maturely.
Let’s just say, I’m a work in progress.
Sadly, the enemy is all too eager to help us make those emotional leaps when it comes to the way we react. What I’ve found to be most problematic is our emotional state at the time. Outside influences or past experiences can often shape our disjointed beliefs. Beliefs generate strong feelings, and strong feelings generate disproportionate reactions. The war of the “words” coming out of our mouths, if we are not careful, become battles with unintended consequences.
“They sharpen their tongues like swords and aim cruel words like deadly arrows” (Psalm 62:3).
Friends, we are not prisoners of our emotions. Through Christ, we are overcomers. “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Romans 8:37).
We are called to live by the Spirit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). Practice self-control.
First pause. Then think. When unsure, ask for clarification. Then, and only then, should we speak. And what we speak should be words of peace—not war.
And yes, I’m preaching to myself on this one.
“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires” (James 1:19-20).
“Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25).
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