A Soft Answer

1 A soft answer turns away wrath,
But a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1

Have you ever had someone think that they were going to resolve an issue with someone by "confronting" them? Then they are surprised when the person is defensive? Wouldn't it be easier to come to discuss something without the confrontation attitude? There is a time for confrontation but we should try to work out things in a "give you the benefit of the doubt" attitude?

It is easy to be misunderstood in letters and emails because they can be miss interpreted...you can take one letter or email and reread it in many different tones and voice inflections and get something totally different each time you read it outloud!

Same thing in the physical world too. I have come across angry or upset before simply because I was intense about something or I have been misunderstood thinking that I have sounded funny and in realty I have come across harsh or rude. Sometimes it might not be you either...it might just be that someone has been injured in that area before or they are having a rough time and you might be the "lucky" one to say something that they take the wrong way!

I would like to suggest a soft answer approach. Does this mean that you have to let people run over you? NO! But if we can resolve things with a soft answer instead of esculating things with a harsh tone wouldn't that be better? Set boundaries, pray, take a deep breath and then speak in love.

As my mama used to always say, "You can draw more flies with honey than vinegar!

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