“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Proverbs 15:1
This proverb is so true, but how hard is it to live by? When I was growing up I was always told “Attitude is everything”. Sometimes if it seems like I’m frustrated with everyone around me I stop and ask myself, could it be me? Could I be the one who is talking with harsh words and am I stirring up anger? It’s always good to stop pray that your words are gentle.
The biggest area our society has this problem in is electronic dialogues. Emails and texts do not convey your attitude. Sometimes the way we write an email can invoke anger because the person reading it has to place the emotions into the email themselves. When I’m in a hurry and need information from someone I know, I remind myself that typing a personal comment is important so the other person doesn’t think all I care about is my needs. Smiley icons can be abused, but sometimes I think it’s necessary.
So the next time I am in a frustrating situation I need to remember that “a gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
