“A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger” (Proverbs 15:1).
TEXT — Proverbs 15:1-4
Message
In a country church of a small village, an altar boy serving the priest at Sunday mass accidentally dropped the cruet of wine. The village priest struck the altar boy sharply on the cheek and in a gruff voice shouted, “Leave the altar and don’t come back!” That boy became Tito, the Communist leader. In the cathedral of a large city, an altar boy serving the bishop at Sunday mass accidentally dropped the cruet of wine. With a warm twinkle in his eyes, the bishop gently whispered, “Someday you will be a priest.” That boy grew up to become Archbishop Fulton Sheen. Words, spoken or written, truly have power.
Those isolated incidents validate what we find in the text. It dwells essentially on the use of the tongue. Characteristic of the book of Proverbs, it adopts a two-edged-sword approach highlighting the right use and misuse of the tongue with their varied consequences. A wholesome tongue is compared to the tree of life whereas an uncontrolled tongue inflicts misery and destruction on its owner and on others.
So many of the contentions in the world today result from the misuse of the tongue. Sharp arguments and even physical fights are preceded by grievous words that undermine the sensibilities of others or words spoken in an angry tone. But a person whose words are soft and measured will hardly attract a harsh response.
Believers should seek to possess a wholesome tongue that speaks from a transformed heart. Do not allow pressure, emotion or other people’s attitudes or actions to compel you to use grievous, abusive, cutting, sarcastic and belittling words. As a true Christian, you must ask God for the grace to speak aright.
Thought for the day
Know what, when and how to speak in different situations of life.
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.
