The Slap that Didn’t Work
Written by Rev. Dr. Scott Paczkowski
“Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.”
It has been over a week and a half, and still, people cannot get enough of Will Smith slapping Chris Rock. We cannot stop obsessing, not just because Rock and Smith are superstars but also because we’ve all felt like slapping someone at one time or another. Therefore, it is crucial to hold Will Smith accountable so others will see the severe ramifications of acting on impulse. Emotional maturity requires reflecting on impulses before we act on them.
Acting on impulse is rife with unintended consequences. For Will Smith, those included, but are not limited to, upstaging the other Oscar recipients, implicitly condoning violence, and looking the bully, which undermined his professional persona. Even if the Oscar leadership buckles and lets him go with a slap on the wrist, Will Smith’s reputation is severely damaged.
To keep from following in Will Smith’s unfortunate footsteps, we should follow the recommendations of Karen Nimmo in her article, “We All Need More Time in Emotional Control School, Even Will Smith.” First, Nimmo recommends that in times of anger, “Know your triggers.” Once we recognize our triggers, it is easier to stop and think before acting on impulse. Second, Nimmo calls us to “Develop a pause button.” Emotional maturity and control offer us the capacity to hit the pause button.
Chris Rock’s joke regarding Jada Pinkett may have been out of line, but Will Smith made himself the problem rather than provide an opportunity to acknowledge Chris Rock’s inappropriateness. Emotional control keeps the focus on the issue. Today, pray for the wisdom to expand our emotional intelligence. Pray that God will give us the insight to think before responding by impulse. Finally, forgive Will Smith and give him a second chance. We’ve all acted on impulse on occasion. We were just fortunate not to misbehave on international television. I pray that all of us will learn from Will Smith’s mistake while not ruining his storied career and life.
