March 9, 2023

Thursday

A Biblical Course in Anger Management: Words

Proverbs 15: 1-4

“A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.”

Proverbs 15:1

Roger Dawson is known as “America’s Premier Business Negotiator.” He’s spent his life training business executives to negotiate good deals in tense settings. His advice: “Be careful what you say at the beginning. If the other person takes a position with which you totally disagree, don’t argue. Arguing always intensifies the other person’s desire to prove himself or herself right.”

Solomon said something similar nearly three thousand years ago. Never has society so needed this advice! Our world is filled with angry words between heads of state, between political leaders, between politicians, between newscasters and commentators. Our electronic media doesn’t help; it often amplifies the anger. If we aren’t careful, the world’s angry spirit can seep into our marriages, homes, and churches.

Proverbs 15:1 teaches us to underreact. If someone approaches you in an angry spirit, you gain the advantage over them by remaining calm. When you argue with someone, it makes them defensive and locks them into their position. That’s not a winning strategy.

It takes the Holy Spirit’s calmness within us, but we should take Proverbs 15:1 as our guide: “A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.”

A point to ponder…

Hot heads and cold hearts never solved anything.
Billy Graham

Read the Bible through in a year

Deuteronomy 30-31

I love you!!!

© 2000-2023 B. Michael Goerlich