My devotional this morning reaffirmed the video I posted on Facebook yesterday, and a lesson that I need to remind myself of often. I am sharing both the devotional from Erin Keeley Marshall from Mornings With Jesus 2017 and the video.

“A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.” (Proverbs 15:1)

I held the phone to my ear and willed myself to stay calm. The closing date was days away, and because I’d been honest about some discoloration on our carpet in the house we were selling, the warranty company was digging in its heels about transferring the warranty to the new owners. According to the flooring company where we’d bought the carpet four years earlier, the carpet had a twenty-five year no-exclusions warranty, But I was learning just how numerous the exclusions were.

My patience was exhausted over the upcoming move, and the woman at the warranty company was saying everything she could to fire up my anger.

Anger is like a snowball headed downhill, pulling up pieces of everything it tumbles over, gaining reckless speed and force until it’s nearly impossible to control. When given free reign, anger is destructive and more difficult to stop the longer it is given headway.

Fortunately, life and Proverbs have taught me that the soft approach really is calming. Gentleness has the healing mark of Jesus’s Spirit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23) He tells me to learn from Him because He is gentle ,a spiritually mature trait that’s echoed throughout the Bible. “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:29-30)

I let Jesus’s reminders of a gentle approach win over my powerful desire to set the woman straight. Our tones had already risen somewhat, but I was amazed how hers quieted after I adjusted mine.

Video:

https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fbbcthree%2Fvideos%2F10154821082365787%2F&show_text=0&width=400