“A
gentle answer turns away wrath,
but
a harsh word stirs up anger.” Proverbs
15:1
“You catch more flies with honey than
you do with vinegar” is an old American English phrase. It’s meaning is quite simple; you achieve
more positive results by being nice than by being a jerk, if I may put it so
plainly. Too many people use brut force
either physically or verbally to achieve their goals. Taking a calm, pleasant
approach can and most times will defuse many an unpleasant
situation.
There is a saying regarding business
that goes like this: “Be nice to those going up the ladder, because you will
pass them again on your way down.” A
harsh word can cause bitterness and resentment in the recipient. At work presently we have a boss that takes a
hard approach with the workers. He
assumes all are lazy, shiftless slugs that are looking to get paid for doing as
little as possible. While there are those who fit that description, one
shouldn’t automatically assume that all do.
He is not received well and it effects the performance of his workers
negatively you can be sure.
Those who are attempting to be more like
Christ in their daily lives need to learn to remain calm regardless of how you
are treated or spoken to. Your calm
demeanor will more times than not bring about a kinder approach the next
time. It’s what Christ did when faced by
angry Pharisees who challenged Him and when He was brought before Pilate. A calm spirit will always win out over an
angry or prideful one. Anger only begets
anger and causes it to escalate. Remain
calm, pray in the spirit and leave the rest to the Lord. Until next time, walk with the King and be a
blessing!
