God is looking for a reaction in us, and he’s waiting to react. In terms of the former, think about the times when Jesus looked upon someone or looked upon the multitude, and “He had compassion for them”. That was a reaction…He saw the pain, the fear, the pride, the misery, the ignorance…and His reaction was a welling up of love and compassion and a sense of urgency to minister to them.

In terms of the later, God is waiting for us to react all the time. The most dramatic example that comes to mind is Paul’s experience on the road to Damascus. Jesus manifested Himself powerfully and supernaturally to Paul, and in that moment Paul’s reaction to this encounter would set the course of the rest of his life. Most of the time, our encounters with God are far more subtle. He’s dealt the hand, and now He’s waiting for us to make our move. The question is, do we have the eyes to see and the ears to hear what God is doing and saying to us in our lives today?

Of course, action is important, and knee-jerk, unthoughtful reactions to ideas or events that lead to stubborn rejection or hostility must be avoided. But I believe that much of the Christian life is having the wisdom and discernment to see how God is moving in the world and in the lives of the people we meet and know, and react appropriately in accordance with His will.