Day 5 – Wisdom in conflict

Proverbs 15:1-2 “A soft and gentle and thoughtful answer turns away wrath, But harsh and painful and careless words stir up anger. “The tongue of the wise speaks knowledge that is pleasing and acceptable, But the [babbling] mouth of fools spouts folly.” 

We’ve all either personally experienced or witnessed situations of conflict before where harsh words have been spoken in a moment of anger. In that moment of anger, it felt right to speak your mind; after all, the other party needed to hear it. Right? Well, as necessary as assertiveness and speaking the truth is, there is a right way to do it. The Word says we should speak the truth in love.

In today’s verse, Solomon affirms that a wise person speaks “knowledge that is pleasing and acceptable”. Although “pleasing and acceptable” is probably the last thing on our mind during a dispute, God requires this from us, and He gives us the wisdom to make it possible to respond in this way.

Don’t despair if you have trouble staying calm in a challenging situation. This promise is for you, too. Remember, you have the Holy Spirit in you. He will give you the insight and wisdom to know what to say and how to say it, and even when to keep quiet. Let’s acknowledge His presence and power in our lives today.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for Your faithfulness. Thank you for being true to Your promises and that they are just as relevant today as they have been from the very beginning. I ask Holy Spirit, to help me in every situation to remember to ask You for guidance, especially if it presents an opportunity for strife or dissension. May my words be pleasing and acceptable. Amen.

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