Devotional: Answer Gentle

A gentle response deflects fury, but a harsh word makes tempers rise.
Proverbs 15:1

From Bible.com

I am not a very patient person always. When trying to explain things, I can get a little "snippy" sometimes. It comes from having to explain what I think are basics but obviously I am wrong on how basic it is. I grew up right at the start of computers becoming mainstream. I remember my school having Apple IIe computers which seemed so great despite the green and black screen. A bit later at home I remember thinking how amazing Windows 95 was and how cool games like Doom were. I have been around them a lot. So how to save a file, organize said file, and sending an email are pretty basic stuff. So when I have to explain how to do them to someone else, I sometimes get short, and maybe even have a harsh word or two.

Proverbs tells us that a gentle response deflects fury. Instead of saying something sharp and getting people mad at me or me mad at them, I should reply back with gentleness. Words are like knives, sharp and able to cut to the core. When used wrong, we can do more damage than we are equipped to fix. The wrong words can cause people to stumble and fall, breaking friendships and at worse causing someone to lose faith.

Everything that we say should be thought out and gentle. We should never try to make tempers rise and stir up fights. Sure there are times when you will need to put a foot down, take a stand for what you believe, but never should those words you use be attacks, trying to cut down those who oppose you. So think before you speak, build up others with your words and always be ready to defend what you believe. Show the world a love unlike the love they already know.

Father, guide my words today and help me to speak kindness and love.