A gentle answer turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger.
Proverbs 15:1
Today is August 15. Yesterday I spent a whole day in airports and airplanes, in transition from point A to point B. I fell in bed exhausted and woke up aching. When all else fails, a Bible reading technique is to read the proverb that matches the day. There are 31 proverbs and 31 days in the month. So I opened my Bible to Proverbs 15 this morning since today is the 15th! Verse 1 was a familiar friend of mine and excellent medicine for my soul.
I had crossed international borders to visit my daughter. Different country, different rules and procedures. We arrived five minutes late to check in on Monday. At the airport, the check in person was the person who pushed the person needing wheelchair assist to the gate and was then the person helping load the person at the gate. Different country, different airline, different procedures. The person though looked at my daughter and me on MOnday and had compassion and answered us with kind words as we tried to be kind in our confusion and need to sort our alternatives. The person graciously offered a ticket on the flight yesterday, Wednesday. Yesterday we were not late!!! The agent’s kindness calmed the situation.
Yesterday I spent traveling and arrived at my destination, exhausted and needed a wheelchair assist off the plane, through baggage to curbside where a friend met me. The person who pushed me and another elder from the plane was irate because there was some sort of mixup about who pushed who and when and the person was yelling at others he passed and calling them “idiots.” I could feel my stomach knotting. Another pusher probably heard the anger and frustration spewing forth and quickly changed direction to come and assist and claim me from the first pusher. The whole atmosphere changed.
This is a small example of how my travel experiences changed because a soft answer turned away wrath, frustration. Today I miss being with my daughter and can feel those grumpy words of grief stirring in my gut. I read this verse and was again reminded that the words of our mouth really do impact not only our own reality as we turn our hearts to the blessings and away from the frustrations but also impact the reality of those around us. May we as we deal with the frustrations of life, choose to focus on the God who incarnated and understands and who walks with us through the events of today. May we not be someone who stirs us anger. Blessings.
On the Way to Wonder 