Response-Ability

Reaction vs. response—what’s the difference? Here’s one way to look at it: reacting is passive and automatic whereas responding is active and deliberate. Some examples of living reactively are flying off the handle when someone says something we disagree with, watching whatever videos Youtube suggests, or being pulled out of a task to read emails as soon as they arrive in our inbox. Corresponding versions of living responsively might be taking a deep breath and asking to learn more about an opposing viewpoint before sharing our take, watching Youtube for one hour from a playlist created to store videos recommended by friends and those that are relevant to a topic we’re researching, and replying to emails during set windows like 10am-11am and 4pm-5pm.  

The etymologies of these words are also revealing. ‘Reaction’ comes from the Latin word agere, meaning to do or act. ‘Response’ comes from respondere, which means to reply or answer. Response is action blended with reason. To respond to something one must first understand. Reaction, however, happens reflexively and without much consideration. 

In a motivational speech, Brian Tracy argues that our ability to respond to challenges—our “response-ability”—is the difference between being a child and an adult. He says that “the great valley of excuses” is what separates these two stages. When we are children, someone else is responsible for everything in our lives. We become adults when we accept responsibility for everything and no longer expect that others will solve our problems. Every time we respond well to challenges, we grow.     

This week, I invite you to consider: 

Where in my life am I living reactively, carried along by my circumstances and making excuses? Where in my life am I living responsively, understanding and shaping my circumstances? What is my next step for increasing my “response-ability?” 

God bless,
Dan