Keep your cool

"A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger."   

                                                                                        Proverbs 15:1   NKJV 

This is an incredibly important area to manage. We can either blow the situation out of all proportions, or we can pour peace on a difficult situation. Warren Wiersbe comments:

'Our words can bring peace instead of war, calm rather than chaos. This verse isn't advising us to compromise the truth and say that what's wrong is really right just to avoid conflict or confrontation. Rather it's counselling us to have a gentle spirit and a conciliatory attitude even when we disagree with others. This can defuse the situation and make it easier for us to settle the matter peacefully.'         The Warren Wiersbe Study Bible, Thomas Nelson NKJV 

It's not so much what we say but how we say it that prompts various responses. Word can either have life-giving or death-producing results. One's tone of voice makes all the difference. This is why Solomon's wise counsel recommends a soft answer in response to someone's wrath.

Think back to a past example you have had. Play the video back and pinpoint certain aspects of how you may have acted or said things differently. A little basic psychology can help in these situations:

SITUATION    What is happening? What is being said? What can you do about it?

EMOTION      How does it make you feel, anger to hurt? Will reacting in a negative way help?

RESPONSE  This will be determined by how you have dealt with the previous two  

Of course, this is easier said than done and requires a quick reaction on your part; not quick to respond but quick to make sense of what is happening. This is why James tells us to to be: 'Swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath' (James 1:19). 

At the end of the day, we are not called to be walked all over but, we are called to bring about the peace of Jesus wherever we are (Romans 12:18 NKJV).

Copyright 2022 Grahame Howard.                                

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