I'm told that smells have the power to evoke powerful memories
and one of those smells in my life is
fresh brewed coffee. Every morning of my
high school days started with my dad drinking his morning cup of coffee and,
although I don’t drink it, the smell always reminds me of those mornings.
My dad had one of the oldest drip coffee makers known to
mankind. In fact, it may have been the original. As I remember it, the coffee grounds would be
placed in an upper chamber and boiling water would be poured in and slowly the
water would seep through the grounds and collect in the lower chamber as
coffee. It may have taken a while for the
process, but for him it was well worth the wait.
I often wonder how my dad would take to these modern
cup-at-a-time-in-a-minute coffee makers
we have today. He would likely say something like, "Son, it takes time to make a good cup of
coffee. Trying to make a cup of coffee in a minute just
doesn't work." And, " You
might have a cup of brown water there but is it really worth drinking?" I suspect he would ask for his old drip coffee
maker.
Now those modern cup-at-a-time-in-a-minute coffee makers may
do the trick and my father's response may be way off base, but his logic may
still be true. Some things need to take
some time. Some things need to percolate. Sometimes when things are rushed the results
may be less than ideal.
James, the brother of Jesus and author of the New Testament letter
that bears his name, reminds believers that there are at least two things that
are better when not rushed. He says,
"My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick
to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry." Speech and anger should never be rushed into. They need to be brewed not hurried.
My experience and observation prove that to be so true. The words I would like to retract are most
often words that have rushed through my lips rather than having spent their proper
time in my mind. Anger has been
destructive when it is reactive rather than thoughtful. James would later say in the same letter that
an untamed tongue has the destructive power of an uncontrolled fire.
The smell of coffee reminds me of those cold New England mornings
and the time it took my dad to brew himself a good cup of joe. It also reminds me that some things take time. That smell reminds me that words and anger
are two of those commodities that really aren't worth the effort until they
have had ample time to percolate. James'
words ring true: Be slow to speak and
slow to become angry.
