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The Power of Soft Answers


Years ago, when our home was filled with 3 sons growing up, there were lots of harsh words being slung around. As a young Christian mom, my desire was to train them in godliness and this verse was used alot in that training:

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

It was a desperate attempt to keep the peace between the boys. I'm not sure they ever got the gist of learning to answer softly, but there was a lot of harsh words that stirred up anger!

Today is Day 1 of The Power of Words - October Daily Bible Reading. This is the focus verse for today. 


Years later, this verse is an important one to learn and allow its truth to settle into our conversations. 

Did you know that your words can affect how others view Jesus? 
 It’s not just your relationship with that person you’re in contact with that’s at stake when you choose harsh words that cut and divide and cause pain. If you’re a daughter of Jesus, if your life is surrendered to Him, every single interaction is a representation of our Savior.

 Gentle words have the power to turn off wrath, and harsh words have the power to stir up greater anger. That’s no small thing.

There is research that shows that anger stimulates more involuntary reactions in our bodies than any other emotion. That is, the sympathetic nervous system takes over. The brain shuts down blood flow to the gut and pushes it towards the muscles for reactivity. And that, of course, is part of our fight-or-flight response.

The heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, they all increase. Body temperatures rise. Perspiration increases. Maybe that’s why they refer to an angry person as “hot-headed.” An angry individual, in many ways, is not a controlled individual.

But God says a gentle word can change all of that. 

We know, that words truly are powerful. They can encourage and strengthen others. They can heal wounded hearts. They can honor God. They can bring Him and others great delight. But, as we all know, words can also be destructive.

If you’re a daughter of Jesus, if your life is surrendered to Him, every single interaction is a representation of our Savior. So you put others relationship with Him, Jesus, at stake if you do not represent Him accurately. 

Please join me this month as we look into God's Word and allow it to shape our words. Each day will examine verses about words and their importance. We can Change Our World, By Changing Our Words. 


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Comments

  1. Lisa BlairOctober 6, 2021 at 9:29 PM

    This is such a timely word, Joyce. "Gentle words have the power to turn off wrath" is desperately needed today. And this, "We can Change Our World, By Changing Our Words," accompanied with prayer - can be so powerful.

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