Tiny Devotional for Thursday, 07-15-2021

A great good morning to all my friends and neighbors in Internet Land! And to family members who have dropped by, Isabella MIGHT come today. 

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

Bug-house Nuts


Good advice for mild cases; absolutely essential for the extreme examples, such as road-rage and spousal abuse.

I can’t think of a good reason at the moment for stirring up anger,  but I can recall using harsh words with people. In this cool and calm morning, none of those make any sense, but they did at the time.

That’s because I was angry, hurt, or afraid at the time I said them, and I was reacting. That’s normal, I suppose, but still not a good plan for communicating.

I also remember being on the receiving end of harsh words, and thinking:

“This person is bug-house nuts. I do not wish to be in a relationship with them.”

Depends on circumstances, of course, but sometimes, that’s a GREAT choice; I highly recommend it. A person given to anger does not make for a good companion, whether we are talking about friendship, marriage, or a business transaction. Set limits on what you accept. 

So, what good does a gentle answer do?

First, it gives the person who is NOT bug-house nuts a chance to pull themselves together. I think everybody loses it occasionally, and if we all terminated at the first sign of disturbance, we’d probably all end up as hermits. 

Second, it gives you some breathing room. If you happen to find yourself in a transaction with a bug-house nut, something that will deescalate the conversation allows you time to implement both short and long-term solutions. 

Remember: limits are good.

Peace be on your household.


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