The Four Way Test

James 1:19
My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.

These are obviously great words to live by. Abe Lincoln often said "better to remain silent and thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt."

I remember the early days of email in the late 90's. People would quickly respond to emails in anger and it would spread like wildfire. "Flame-o-grams" became a daily ritual for many including yours truly. These emails would be so incendiary that they surely lived up to the name and accomplished little but strife.

Then on day I came across Rotary Club's "Four-Way Test." As stated on Rotary's website, this test, has been translated into more than 100 languages, asks the following questions:

Of the things we think, say or do

1. Is it the TRUTH?
2. Is it FAIR to all concerned?
3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

I posted these in next to my computer so I would look at them every time I was about to send an email.

We should ask God to remind us of this "test" whenever we have an opportunity to be offended. When offended, let's put our reaction to this test and we will find that we will be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.