Stop Picking At It

Proverbs 15:1
A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

"You're right" or "I'm sorry" are some of the most difficult phrases to say. Even now as you read that sentence you can't bring yourself to say, "You're right." Why is it so hard to say these things? Probably because they are usually spoken at times when our emotions are hot and high. Usually we are giving an apology after we have just blew our fuse or done something wrong. Most of the time we are telling someone they are right about a situation after we have struggled for two or three days of trying to be right about it ourselves.

Read the scripture again... "A soft answer turneth away wrath:..." Speaking in a normal tone or knowing when not to speak can sometimes be hard to come by. Our emotions will get the best, most likely the worst, of us at times. God tells us to be soft in answering while angry. He says that if we can remain calm about the situation and give a truthful and soft answer then we could turn away our anger and hopefully their anger. This scripture does not say be soft in truth and correction. It tells us to be soft in how we answer with truth and correction.

Look also at the "grievous words..." and what it does. When we use grievous words we are pulling the band aid off of a fresh wound. Don't you remember what your Mom used to tell you? If you keep picking at that it's never gonna get better! How many times have you known that you were right and they were wrong, so you just kept hammering it at them? That's grievous words to stir up anger.

Has someone hurt you or done you wrong? Answer them in forgiveness and stop picking at it. Have you hurt someone or done them wrong? (I know, not you right?) Then ask them to forgive you. Does that mean they will answer you softly and turn away anger? No it doesn't, but that's their own picking.