When a police officer responds to a “hot” call, emotions are high as the officer makes their way to the crime scene. This emotional response multiplies when other officers also respond to the same incident. It was always a problem when one of the responding officers, in the heat of the moment, forgot to turn off their siren upon arrival and then attempted to remedy the situation as their siren continued to sound its unneeded warning. An unrestrained siren’s frantic and piercing sound would unnecessarily escalate a situation.

The same holds true for some in the Church who respond to what seems like a spiritual emergency, but upon their arrival and in the heat of the moment, they forget to turn off their emotional warning siren. Many of these “emergency” situations could have been resolved more quickly had their lack of spiritual discipline not contributed to the escalation.

A police siren is employed to clear the way for responding officers to get to the scene of an incident. It is not meant to continue sounding its warning once an officer arrives at the scene. It is hard to talk down someone from the brink of their emotions by continuing to sound a warning.

I recall several times telling young officers, “Turn off your siren!”, because their lack of emotional discipline was escalating the incident beyond what could have been easily resolved if the sound of their alarm had not deafened any attempts be bring about a peaceful resolution. 

Scripture tells us, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Proverbs 15:1). There is nothing more harsh sounding than the sounds of an unrestrained warning siren. Its unrestrained sound increases the possibility of creating a deeper level of conflict. Self-control in hostile situations defines what it means to be a trustworthy police officer. It also defines what it means to be a mature believer.