When Emotions Drive

But the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun, “Do you think, because David has sent comforters to you, that he is honoring your father? Have not his servants come to you to search and to overthrow and to spy out the land?” 1 Chronicles 19:3

Driving out of the cities recently, with my family in the car, we had a mishap with our navigation. We’d pulled off the interstate to get coffee at a gas station, when I didn’t pay attention to directions, and had to rely on my phone’s navigation to get me back to the interstate. For whatever reason, the phone took us the long way back to a different exit, which annoyed me. As I was driving, while trying to zoom out on the map, which was displayed on the console, my wife and daughter offered several helpful tips on how to operate the map’s features. It was a lot of information all at once, which made me say something rude in an unkind tone. So, we then had to drive the rest of the way home in an uncomfortable silence until I apologized for my outburst.

When I allow emotions to drive my behavior, I often get myself into situations that I later regret. This principle is illustrated dramatically in today’s passage. In the story, when Nahash, king of the Ammonites died and his son Hanun assumed the throne, King David mourned the loss of his friend and sent messengers to console the grieving son. Some of Hanun’s advisors, however, whispered that King David’s messengers were actually spies. The Ammonites humiliated the messengers and sent them back to Israel, which led to a military conflict and defeat of the Ammonites. Maybe it was because he was grieving. Or maybe he was just paranoid. Whatever the reason, Hanun made an impulsive, emotional decision that led to the defeat of his people.

I’m not suggesting that I simply suppress my emotions. I am saying however, that my emotions can make very poor decisions. My emotions, like my appetite, aren’t concerned with healthy or unhealthy. They don’t care about right or wrong. And just like following my appetite can lead to a drug addiction, following my emotions can lead to hurt feelings and damaged relationships. So, when I feel an emotional surge, it would be healthy for me to pause before I say or do anything impulsive. Because when my emotions drive, I end up driving home in uncomfortable silence.