“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”

I was talking with a friend the other day about a tense relationship in their family. As we discussed the interactions with the other person, they told me how that person’s conversations tend to go from very direct to very confrontational, and eventually become borderline abusive—definitely unkind and hostile. As I listened, I remembered this passage and the one in James that talks about the power of the tongue and how we should avoid wounding people unnecessarily. When I suggested they simply not respond or walk away, they said they had already tried that. But then a circumstance that I suspect Solomon never anticipated occurred. They began receiving text messages that would start the same way and escalate just like their face-to-face conversations. I remember thinking that we live in a world where simply walking away is harder than it has ever been. But just because it’s harder doesn’t make it any less necessary. We have the ability to avoid texts, ignore them, or block them. Social media can evolve into those same kinds of conversations and arguments even more rapidly, and often become even more abusive. But again, we have the ability to walk away—or more specifically, to block those people. We always begin with a gentle word and pray that it calms the situation, whether it’s in a family, social, or work setting. But when it doesn’t, we need to just as gently walk away. There’s a difference between walking away harshly and angrily and quietly excusing yourself with gentleness and grace. Today, be gentle and kind. #BeTheEdge

“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” James 1:19 NIV