People who fight fire with fire usually end up with ashes.

In talking with people, how often do we know, or we feel, that we are right; our idea, our position, our interpretation is it, and we’re ready to fight for it.

Forget the fact that we may not be, or that there might be something we’re completely ignorant of.

The truth is that sometimes we know better, and sometimes we don’t.

But the scripture teaches us, and I’ve learned from experience (most of the time), that arguing, forcefulness, and violence in my own voice are almost guaranteed to start a futile and ugly war of words.

People are naturally defensive, and often, naturally offensive.

But I can be the one to break the pattern. With a gentle response.

If my heart attitude is “Come, let us reason together, hear each other out, respect each other, speak softly, and trust the Lord for the outcome”, and my tone of voice carries that spirit, I can actually help the other person to calm down and prevent a war.

The fruit of the spirit is self-control.

Do you want to start a fight or finish one?

Give a gentle response today and see what the Lord does!

A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1

–by George Whitten