Reactions

This morning I was walking in the town when a man passed me. He was wearing a denim jacket and on the back was a picture of a panther snarling and just beginning to pounce. When you looked at it, it appeared to be looking directly at you. My immediate reaction was to snarl back! But I managed to compose myself enough not to actually do it. But I did realise how quickly we sometimes react to things, almost automatically without thinking and then manage to hide our true feelings and reactions and appear something quite different. It made me think of Jesus' words about overcoming evil with good and coming in the opposite spirit. We make excuses about 'only being human', 'it's only natural' and 'anyone would'etc. We know we shouldn't and probably think we don't but how easy it is!