Sloth Mode

“Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.”
‭‭James‬ ‭1‬:‭19‬ ‭

In a world with a propensity to value speed, the lowly sloth gets a bad rap.

Warp speed. High speed. Nitrous boosts. Mach 1. Be efficient, work at full throttle, go, go, go!

Enter the sloth.

So slow it’s fur has a tendency to have moss growing in it, these gentle critters aren’t exactly lending their names to sports teams or race cars. Ain’t nobody no how slapping ‘Sloths’ onto their jerseys.

We just don’t seem to value slow.

Which is why my slow healing pace is driving me – well, a little bonkers.

I wanted it to be quick. More ‘Speedy Gonzales’ or ‘Flash’ than molasses. A finger snap, a flash of lightning, a nanosecond.

But no. Here I am, slothing it.

I’m in the middle of a painfully, irritatingly, agonizingly drawn out process which grumpily drags its feet rather than sliding in sideways in a flurry of screeching tires.

Definitely Sloth Mode.

But I was reminded today that super speed doesn’t always come out on top.

Look at these wonderful words of wisdom from James…

Be slow to speak. (Boy, following this would have saved me a lot of foot-in-mouth disease over the years!)

Be slow to get angry. (Ditto!)

In other words, when it comes to acting impulsively and thoughtlessly, James would highly recommend Sloth Mode.

So I’m taking a breath. Feeling my heart pump. Letting go of the outcomes, and listening to the speed bumps that my poor sore foot is throwing my way.

(I’m needing a lot of practice.)

Developing strong muscles (physical and spiritual) takes time. Healing (physical and spiritual and emotional and mental) does, too. And while the cheetah may have global admiration for its breakneck speed, the laid back pace of the lowly sloth also has its place in the cosmos. It exists to teach us the value of slowing down, exercising caution, allowing our systems to grow and change and heal in the time it takes.

Sloth Mode.

It’s ok, friend.

Really.

Let God direct even this, the place where you wish things would just fall into place and move forward in a blaze. Perhaps –

Perhaps, God is able to do something in this slower season He can only perform in this slower season.

So.

Embrace Sloth Mode with me?

Father, our culture races and hurries and rushes and You want us to pause and collect ourselves and move into a calm and peaceful pace, where You have the space to stretch us and teach us. Open our hearts to Your good work. Amen.