Speak Softly, In Love

Our Thoughts:

Often, when we are angry with someone, or unhappy about something they've done, we want revenge! We strike back with the tongue, rather than giving thought to what we should say, or how we should say it. And, it usually gets us more upset, because the other person will usually act 'in kind'. What we give, we receive, unless that person is more restrained than we are. The tongue is a little member, but can bring about a fire quickly! The human in us makes us respond in ways that later may come back to haunt us. The bad temper and the hard lashes by the tongue loses more friends than we love to admit.

God didn't mean for us to take revenge. He said that 'vengeance is mine'.[Romans 12:19] We need to pray before speaking. We need to learn to speak in love and kindness, even though we have to speak the truth. Often times, though, it means more to keep silent than it does to open the mouth, when we might say things we will later regret. Anger wells up within us, and satan knows which switches to pull, in order to get us to open up and lash out! But, we need to learn to control our temper, to 'anger and sin not'.[Ephesian 4:26]

I often think of the words my Mother used to say - 'You can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar'. And, that is true. Speak softly, with wisdom and understanding, and in truth, not with an attitude of a know-it-all, or 'I'll get you'. This only puts fuel on the fire, and gives the devil a smile, in triumph!

God's Thoughts: