Soft Answers
From Back to The Bible....
I saw a picture the other day of a small man on his knees praying, "Lord, please make sure my words are soft and sweet, for someday I may have to eat them."
Maybe you need that prayer as you deal with people. Whether it's a cranky parent, an unhappy child or even a careless cashier, it's a challenge to use gracious or "soft and sweet" words when we'd rather criticize or rip apart. Let's see what kind of help God offers.
What Does God Say?
Proverbs 15:1 says "A gentle answer turns away wrath, but harsh words stir up anger" (NLT). This is not natural; we'd rather retaliate with anger or seek to respond in the same way we've been treated. It takes more effort to respond with grace and overcome our natural tendency to fight back.
Grace often means withholding anger, criticism or judgment; it means not saying all that could be said. It includes using good words and speaking the truth for the benefit of others.
Colossians 4:6 reads "Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person" ( ESV).
When we respond to others with gracious words, we are walking worthy of our calling, as Ephesians 4:2 describes "with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love" ( ESV).My Thoughts
Go back to Proverbs and flip through Proverbs 15:1,4,7,26,28, and Proverbs 16:21,23-24. Jot down the benefits or positives of good and gracious words.
You probably know someone who is hard to respond to with grace. Based on what you've read today, outline a few steps you can take to show a more gracious response the next time. Are there things to say? Or not say? What can you do now to be prepared?
Psalm 19:14 is a prayer you can use before you next meet this person:
"May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heartbe pleasing to you,O LORD, my rock and my redeemer" (NLT).
Additional Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:1-7, 13.
I saw a picture the other day of a small man on his knees praying, "Lord, please make sure my words are soft and sweet, for someday I may have to eat them."
Maybe you need that prayer as you deal with people. Whether it's a cranky parent, an unhappy child or even a careless cashier, it's a challenge to use gracious or "soft and sweet" words when we'd rather criticize or rip apart. Let's see what kind of help God offers.
What Does God Say?
Proverbs 15:1 says "A gentle answer turns away wrath, but harsh words stir up anger" (NLT). This is not natural; we'd rather retaliate with anger or seek to respond in the same way we've been treated. It takes more effort to respond with grace and overcome our natural tendency to fight back.
Grace often means withholding anger, criticism or judgment; it means not saying all that could be said. It includes using good words and speaking the truth for the benefit of others.
Colossians 4:6 reads "Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person" ( ESV).
When we respond to others with gracious words, we are walking worthy of our calling, as Ephesians 4:2 describes "with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love" ( ESV).My Thoughts
Go back to Proverbs and flip through Proverbs 15:1,4,7,26,28, and Proverbs 16:21,23-24. Jot down the benefits or positives of good and gracious words.
- Describe a time when your words were not "soft and sweet."
- How do you think it would have turned out if you had used gracious words?
- Have you seen the benefits of a gracious response in your own experience? A time when you used gracious words or when someone responded to you with grace?
You probably know someone who is hard to respond to with grace. Based on what you've read today, outline a few steps you can take to show a more gracious response the next time. Are there things to say? Or not say? What can you do now to be prepared?
Psalm 19:14 is a prayer you can use before you next meet this person:
"May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heartbe pleasing to you,O LORD, my rock and my redeemer" (NLT).
Additional Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:1-7, 13.
posted by Murray Lincoln at
Thursday, April 27, 2006
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