Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 396 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

A Gentle Answer Deflects Anger - Proverbs 15:1-17

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 396 of our trek, and today is Wisdom Wednesday. Every Wednesday along life’s trail, we dig for the nuggets of wisdom that are found within the book of Proverbs. Today we will explore the first half of Chapter 15.

We are broadcasting from our studio at Home2 in Charlotte, North Carolina. After a week in North Carolina, we are heading back to Marietta today and will be staying until Sunday evening to work with clients and celebrate our granddaughter Aurora’s 5th birthday. Late Sunday we will return for about 10 days before heading out to Arizona to invest some time with our friends and partners the Mecoms on our construction project in Mesa.

This past Saturday we had a wonderful time with Josphat and Emily Yego, who are Chelimo’s parents. Sharing time and meals with them and discussing plans for their leadership institute in Kenya was very enjoyable. We hope to visit them in Kenya sometime within the next couple of years. Of course, the highlight for all of us is investing time in our mutual grandson Kiprono.

To navigate all of these future plans that God has for us will certainly take wisdom and insight, and there is no better place in the world than the Book of Wisdom, which is Proverbs, to gather that wisdom. On our trek for today, we will dig into the first 17 verses of chapter 15. The title for today’s trek is taken from verse 1, and it is...

A Gentle Answer Deflects Anger

1 A gentle answer deflects anger,

but harsh words make tempers flare.

There are many exhortations within Scripture about controlling your speech. One of the best ways to avoid or minimize a potentially volatile situation is to respond with gentleness. It is very difficult for an argument to last when it is one sided. The best way to respond is with a gentle answer, which will usually diffuse the situation.  If you respond with harshness, then it will create an ugly situation where nothing is truly settled or accomplished.

One commitment I had made to Paula before we were married is that I would not argue with her and that if we had any differences of opinion, we would work through them rationally and with prayer. After nearly 37 years of marriage, I can testify that this practice has worked extremely well for us.

 

2 The tongue of the wise makes knowledge appealing,

but the mouth of a fool belches out foolishness.

It is so refreshing to be in the presence of a wise person. When they speak, it is usually limited, but very insightful and powerful.  Their speech is full of knowledge and without pretense. On the other hand, when you are in the company of a fool, it is evident that they are just spewing verbal garbage, and time spent with them has little redeeming value. Choose wisdom over foolishness.

 

3 The Lord is watching everywhere,

keeping his eye on both the evil and the good.

God knows all things, and he even understands the thoughts and intents of our minds. A person who believes that he can hide or get away with that which is contrary to God’s precepts is only fooling himself. Be good and Godly.

 

4 Gentle words are a tree of life;

a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.

Similar to verse 1, our speech should always be gentle and helpful. When you are kind and helpful, then your words will bring healing and hope to those who listen to your wise and gentle words.