David Jeremiah Devotional 9th March, 2019
Theme For David Jeremiah Devotional 9th March – March Madness—A Biblical Course in Anger Management: Words
A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
Proverbs 15:1
Recommended Reading: Proverbs 15:1-4
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” (NLT).
Hot heads and cold hearts never solved anything. – Billy Graham
Credit – David Jeremiah
Picture Credit – David Jeremiah Devotional