Love Stories

A Soft Answer

Proverbs 15:1 tells us a that soft answer turns away wrath and that grievous words stir up anger. What a true statement! How often have you been in a situation where you knew in your heart that what you said, in response to that particular situation, would have a definite impact on it’s outcome? Also, how many times have you looked back on a conversation and realized, in hindsight, that you could have handled it better, been kinder and been wiser in your choice of words?

The old saying “sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never harm me” is clearly not true. We are often hurt by the words of another. Sometimes, enough to bring tears and oftentimes, enough to cause a chain reaction of events in our lives that is difficult to stop.

This happens in many marriages. You get in an argument. You know deep down that the choice is yours. Your soft answer will turn the wrath of your significant other, and yet, you just want to be mad for a while. Or you WANT him/her to know just how much they’ve hurt you, so you must stand your ground!

Some of the greatest advice my dad has ever given me is that whatever the situation, or how I’ve been treated, I am only responsible for one thing, my reaction. Meaning, I could have been treated terribly and, according to earthly views, have all the right in the world to stand up for myself in anger, but if I want to do what’s right and be respected, I must handle the situation in a respectful way.

This philosophy is good, not just in a marriage but in all types of relationships. Having a happy and productive relationship with our parents, our spouse, our siblings, our boss or our friends greatly relies on us.

Remember, we are not responsible for the actions of others, nor do we need to “fix” them so we can get along better. We are only responsible for ourselves and our actions. So rather than spending our time being upset and stirring up anger, let us humble ourselves, and show love to those around us by giving a “soft answer” filled with love and compassion!