It is important not to confuse cautiousness with suspicion. Cautious people show restraint and weigh the facts before they make a decision. They think before they act. Suspicion on the other hand is fueled by doubt and mistrust, which in turn may contaminate decisions. When motivated by suspicion, decisions are predictable and confirm our misgivings.

No doubt we can all point to times when we have made decisions in haste or on impulse only to regret them later. On those occasions we may have reacted rather than responded in a thoughtful and sensitive manner. In retrospect, we recognize how stepping back and thinking about it would have produced a different result. We trip ourselves up when we “throw caution to the winds.” As a matter of fact, many merchants bank on this tendency. For example, people in car sales know how important it is to close a deal before a potential buyer walks off the lot. The chances of making a sale diminish significantly once people leave and have “second thoughts.”

We all can identify with Moses who improvised by striking the rock twice with a rod, rather than “tell the rock before their eyes to yield its water” as the Lord requested. (Numbers 20:8) His lack of cautiousness, which the Lord interpreted as a lack of faith, cost Moses his entry into the Promised Land. Peter, the Rock, had a reputation for impulsiveness. One moment he is declaring to Jesus, “You are the Christ,” and the next moment he is chastising Him for suggesting that he must suffer and die. (Mark 8:29-33) Peter is quick to jump into the water to join his teacher only to have that sinking feeling associated with “Now what have I gotten into?” He pledges his loyalty, but backs off under fire. All the above situations turn into causes for regret.

For the writer of Proverbs, cautiousness is the mark of a wise person and helps to avoid evil. We read: “A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool throws off restraint and is careless.” (Proverbs 14:16) The writer to Ecclesiates cautions us to make our words count with God. “Be not rash with your mouth, nor let you heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven, and you upon earth; therefore let your words be few.” (Ec. 5:2) James captures the essence of cautiousness when he says: “Let everyone be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.” (James 1:19).

Jesus also advises caution when he asks people to tell no one about who he is and what he has done. This cautionary note is known as the “Messianic secret.” One interpretation is that rather than call attention to himself and prematurely become the target of the religious establishment, he preferred a lower profile until the “appointed time.”

Cautiousness is a valuable virtue. It helps us stay focused and make decisions that do not lead to regret. When we step back and think things through, we give ourselves the time and space to weigh the facts and exercise good judgment. As a matter of fact, when we are cautious, people are more likely to take us seriously, including God.

The following are ways to practice cautiousness:

1. Pray for cautiousness. Ask that God help you “be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.”
   
2. Give yourself time and space. Recognize that most decisions do not have to be made immediately. It’s OK to say: “Let me think about that and get back to you.”
   
3. Seek advice from people you trust. Do no hesitate to “bounce things off” people you respect to help you in your decision-making process.
   
4. Model cautiousness. Respond to your children thoughtfully and help them understand how “haste makes waste.”

Affirmation: Today I will think before I act!