Walk of Life – Day 25 – February 2021 – Thoughts from the Book of Proverbs
Blessing/Power of a Gentle Tongue
By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone. Proverbs 25:15
I wonder what King Solomon was thinking when he wrote, a soft tongue breaketh the bone. While growing up, especially in school and college, we tend to fear the loud and boisterous classmate, we stand away from the proud, arrogant, and egoistic, we sometimes feel that many of them make the loudest noise and think they have been heard but in most cases, this proverb was true “Empty vessels make the most noise.”
I have always felt that when you are soft-spoken that people tend to overpower you, try to put you down, and make so much noise that they ensure you are not heard. Gentleness I believe, is a little more than softness. It is also known as being assertive. When you actually learn negotiation skills, the first key is not to downplay the other person. You need to gain common ground and then persuade the person gently and assertively. Anger, short-temper, being arrogant, speaking rudely, will take you nowhere when it comes to persuasion skills. The first portion says by long forbearing is a prince persuaded.
The Lord Jesus is the most significant in terms of those who taught us how to be forbearing and speak gentle words. He had 12 disciples, most of whom were mere fishermen with no great degree or qualification. Have you ever thought how patient the Lord may have been with them. They were also human, after all. He dealt with a doubting Thomas, a head-strong Peter, the fiery James and John, and the betrayer, Judas…just to name a few. Yet He loved them. When they could not cast out the devil, He said “How long shall I bear with you, O ye of little faith” The speech of Christ would make you just stop and listen. Except in the temple, there is no other instance recorded where the Lord Jesus showed his anger. The skillful carpenter of Bethlehem was a charismatic orator. When He spoke, people said ” No man ever spake like this man.” he could openly criticize the Pharisee and at the same time, appreciate the widow who gave all that she had. The sermon on the mount, if truly followed today, will surely make our world a better place to live in.
In the Garden of Gethsemane, He lovingly told his disciples ” Could you not watch with me for an hour? There was no anger in his voice just compassion and love. When He spoke, the wind and the waves obeyed Him. He could walk through an angry crowd. He could comfort a weeping Mary and Martha and yet He could, burning with passion for His Father’s house, drive out the money changers and wicked persons. Behold this man…hanging on a tree, with hosts of people slandering and mocking him, he was silent, patient, calm because He had a task at hand and the task had to be completed. He had bone-breaking gentleness.
My friend, learn to be a wise influence on people. Stand for your principles firmly, not by being violent or raising your voice but by soft, gentle, bone-crushing power. The power that you are unleashing is not that of the arrogant and the so-called smart persons of this world. It is the power of the Son of God…who was silent before His shearers, who amazed everyone by speaking not a word, and yet crushed death and hell by being obedient to His father.
“Nothing is so strong as Gentleness; nothing so gentle as real strength.” – Francois de Sales
The gentle person is sober-minded and clear-thinking. Like Paul, they look to God for the solution and they remain contagiously calm. The contagiously calm person is the one who reminds others that God is in control. ~ Max Lucado
Friends, let’s not be the one bombing anyone in our path because we’re so stressed out. Instead, let’s point our hearts and minds towards our loving Father who holds the universe in His hands and loves us beyond our ability to even comprehend. We can respond in gentleness and contagious calm because the Lord is near.
