When our first child (Paul) was a baby, my wife (Pat) and I argued a lot. One day I turned to Proverbs 15:1, where it says, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” From the moment that I read that verse, our life changed. The principle that Solomon was teaching made a difference in the way that I treated my relationships with Pat and everyone else with whom I came in contact.
After reading that scripture, I went through Proverbs looking at the principle that I had discovered and realized that so much was said on how we can prevent arguments, but very little is said that actually tells us what to do once an argument is started, which we will cover in another article. Briefly I want to look at a few scriptures in Proverbs that deal with this subject.
We need to exercise self control in our anger. Proverbs 16:32, “Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city.”
Be a good listener before we speak. Proverbs 18:13, “He, who answers before listening—that is his folly and his shame.”
We can damage a relationship with an unguarded tongue that we may never recover. Proverbs 18:19, “An offended brother is more unyielding than a fortified city, and disputes are like the barred gates of a castle.”
Be slow to speak. Proverbs 21:23, “He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity.”
Choose our friends wisely. Proverbs 22:24 “Do not make friends with a hot-tempered man; do not associate with one easily angered.”
Don’t over—stay our welcome. Good friends, or even a man and his wife, can see too much of each other. Proverbs 25:17, “Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house—too much of you, and he will hate you.”
Just a few bits of wisdom from Proverbs to give us something to think about!
Harvey Schultz
Something To Think About 