ArreniteLittle Way › Ages 13 to 17 journey › Day 7
Day 7. Gentle words
Verse (King James Version)
A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.
Proverbs 15:1 (KJV)
Read
Online and offline, it is easy to reply with the sharpest thing you can think of. Soft does not mean fake or silent. It means you refuse to add fuel. You can disagree, set a boundary and still be gentle. It often works better than winning.
Talk about it
When did a calm answer help you? When did a sharp one make things worse?
Try this
Before you send an angry message, wait ten minutes. Then decide again.
If a child is in immediate danger: if a child is in immediate physical danger, has a medical emergency or is being harmed, call 911 (US) or your local emergency number. For an emotional crisis or thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 (US Suicide & Crisis Lifeline). Outside the US? Find a free, confidential helpline at findahelpline.com. These pages are not a substitute for professional or pastoral care.