A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. – Proverbs 15:1 (NIV)

A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. – Proverbs 15:1(KJV)

Theme: Living According to God’s Word

Harsh words have become an epidemic in our society. When someone says or does something we don’t like or don’t agree with, it’s become all to common to lash out with unkind comments and hostility. Just a quick glance at any social media platform puts that behavior (sadly) on display. People argue, call each other names, and say the most crude things over just about anything:  what people believe, politics, sports teams, how people dress, tastes in music…even the weather. It’s truly an epidemic of people being unkind to one another, and each harsh word generates more harsh words in return…“nobody says that to me…I’ll show them!”

But God tells us our society has it exactly backwards, and Proverbs 15:1 offers His guidance on how we should speak with one another:  harsh words simply make a situation worse, while kind words turn away anger. That may not be the popular way to respond in today’s culture, but that’s God’s way.

Our words matter…let’s make sure they reflect the love and kindness of our God.

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