“I hate you!” “That’s the worse job I’ve ever seen. Can’t you do anything right?” “That was the stupidest thing you’ve ever done.” How do you respond when a parent, employer or friend says something similar? Gentle answers don’t normally come to mind or out of our mouths when we’ve been insulted, criticized or abused. We normally feel anger, disappointment or confusion, followed by plans for retaliation. Then we usually speak out of those emotions which leads to things being said that would have been better left unsaid. Speaking after thoughtful consideration is much healthier than speaking first and thinking later. And a gentle response will diffuse the situation rather than intensify it. God’s love is always spoken and demonstrated in soft tones and ours should be also.
