Daily Devotional for September 19, 2015

Proverbs 15:1
A kind answer
    soothes angry feelings,
    but harsh words
    stir them up.

Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.

Headline on the front cover of the October 2010 edition of Tails magazine:  “Rachel Ray finds inspiration in cooking her family and her dog.”  Oh, the difference a comma or two can make!

So often, it’s not just what we say…but how we say it.  We are masters at filling our mouths with our feet.  And sometimes, the difference between “kind answers” and “harsh words” is just a matter of a comma…a few seconds…a quick prayer…10 breaths…time to think over what we are about to say.  I am as guilty of this as the next person, so this is as much a message for me as it is for you or anyone else.

God wants us to be thoughtful…intentional…to choose our words wisely and carefully.  He wants us to soothe angry feelings, not stir them up.  God wants us to be agents of peace and joy…to operate in His love for every other person.  And we cannot do this if we are creating feelings of anger and outrage.

Look…everyone has opinions.  And yours may differ from someone else’s.  But the attitude with which you present yours may be the catalyst for either a mutual understanding – or a major fiasco.  You may have already inadvertently damaged a friendship or acquaintance by your words and actions.  Or you may have been the vehicle for a mended relationship by the way you spoke and/or acted with kindness and consideration for all concerned.

I am asking God to help me operate in the kindness lane…to be someone who offers answers that soothe feelings and demonstrate His love and care for ALL people.  My prayer is that you will do the same.  Together, we can make a change in the overall “vibe” of the atmosphere that surrounds us. We can be the “comma” that makes all the difference.  It begins with each one of us and our thoughts, words and actions.  Are you willing to do your part?  Will you ask God to help you begin today?

©2015 Debbie Robus