2 seconds

I met S, an ex-student, the other day for coffee. (One of the perks of my job - friendships where I see teens grow into adults, a great privilege).

S used to be really emotional and acid-tongued. But over these past two years, he's grown tremendously as a person. One very interesting thing that he brought up the other day was his 'initial 2 seconds' thoughts.

For instance, when pissed, the initial 2-econd-thought would be - I really feel like smacking your face in right now. Whereas the actual follow-up words could be - Actually, I disagree with that.

I told him that everyone has the 2-second evil thoughts, and what counts most of all is the fact that we have self-control to not kill/maim/destroy with our words and deeds.

But I've been thinking about what I said. Is it really true that self control counts towards goodness? Would a genuinely loving person have that 2-second thought? It's probably progressive -

4.. so that... you may become partakers of the divine nature...
5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, 6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, 7 and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.
2 Peter 1:4 - 7