Proverbs 15:1-2 

¹A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. ² The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.

Suspect

During court hearing, the judge asked the suspect, “Did you steal the bag of this lady?” The suspect denied sternly, “No! Your honor! I do not even know that person.” The judge turned to the complainant, “What are the things inside your bag that was stolen from you?” The complainant recalled, “Comb, ballpen, notebook, $1,000.00 and lipstick, your honor!” “ Excuse me!” the accused interrupted, “There’s $1000.00. It only had $300.00, and there’s no lipstick in it.”

It was said, “A fish is caught by its mouth!” Truly, you will observe if people are foolish or smart by their own words. Many social media users are quick to share and publish interesting idioms and proverbs to pretend that they are smart. Well, they should have been transformed if they internalized what they shared.

Likewise, many church attendees hear and even share in their social media accounts biblical lessons they heard, but only a few attentive listeners have put into practice what they learned. Why is that? Most often, desires of the flesh still influence us, and the Holy Spirit of God may have been quenched.

Personally, how do you interpret what it declares on Galatians 5:24-25?

²⁴Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions

and desires. ²⁵Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

How can we crucify the passions and desires of the flesh? By faith, we ask the Lord to empower us and fill us with fruit of the Holy Spirit. We should regularly examine ourselves if the Holy Spirit produced fruit in our life. Why? Instinctively, our natural tendency is to follow the passions and desires of the flesh.

And one part of us that needs to be controlled is our tongue, the way we speak. Practically, others observe transformation by the way we answer them.

1. Answer

¹A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

So how should we define a gentle answer that turns away wrath? The term “gentle” is properly interpreted as “weak, soft or delicate.”A gentle answer can’t spark anger, even the most delicate person. In comparison, a harsh word triggers anger to be more furious. Interestingly, gentleness is also fruit of the Holy Spirit.

So, when we say something that may spark anger or violent reaction, it is considered harsh word and not gentle answer. We should be careful of our word. How do you normally warn or discipline someone with a gentle spirit?

Apostle Paul warned in 1 Corinthians 4:20-21, ²⁰For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. ²¹What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline, or shall I come in love and with a gentle spirit?

Certainly, anyone will prefer a gentle spirit rather than a rod of discipline. But it is better to say nothing and keep quiet if we’ve got nothing sensible to say.

Furious

A father was very furious when his children came home very late. He said, “I told you to come home early and water the plants. Now, the plants are dry. Why are you late? Why did not you ignore my instructions? Why? Why? Why are you not saying anything? Why don’t you answer me?” Why? Why?

One child answered,“ I don’t know what to say. Your shout scared me!” And the father was even more furious that he was blamed. His anger scared them not to answer him. Instead of admitting his fault, he shouted, “You disobeyed me and you have the guts to answer me like that? How dare you answer me like that?”

The child may innocently intend to explain their side, but the father was so furious and cannot conceptualize if what he heard was sensible or foolish word. Angry people are often controlled by their fury that they fail to reflect on favorable matters. So how could we answer gently when we face angry or violent people?

In this generation, parents have to be careful of their words or how they treat their children, or else, they can be charged of child abuse. And how about spiritual guardians? If preachers teach misleading doctrines, are they responsible if listeners are misled to follow beliefs that are not biblical? Pray for preachers!

Together, let’s reflect on what it declares in Jude 18-21,¹⁸In the last times

there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires. ¹⁹These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.²⁰But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, ²¹keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

It was prophesied long ago about people who cause church confusions. Make sure that we are kept in God’s love. It is God’s love through his Holy Spirit that we eagerly wait for the coming of Christ patiently. So, how can we keep ourselves in God’s love? We need to be prayerful always in the Holy Spirit to have love, joy, peace and patience while waiting eagerly for the return of Christ.

How should we behave while waiting for Christ to come again? We’ve got to be smart in what we say. How we do use or adorn our word with knowledge?

2.  Adorn

²The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.

During Christmas time, everyone like to adorn, decorate or add beauty in their homes When it says “the wise adorns knowledge,” it’s not about highfalutin, flowery, pretentious or pompous jargons. It’s more of using words that may attract listeners to be more attentive and challenged to reflect on what they have heard.

We can easily observe foolish individuals who may pretend to be smart by using unfamiliar words or phrases. Of course, innocent people can be trapped.

Business

To be successful in business, it has been widely endorsed that you’ve got to know products costumers want to buy. Now, many people who are well off love traveling. t may be a good idea to start a website about traveling. If you love traveling ,educate yourself You search, and publish places that you deem as great destination for adventure, and at the same time earn from your research.

So, how do people promote their website about travels? They use click baits like: “Great tourist spot! ”Tourist or just random individuals searching for tourist destinations would click and see. Have you ever been misled while searching the internet? You click a headline but it is not what you expected.

Actually, the Lord declared in Luke 16:8,⁸For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light.

Learning from others is helpful, but as children of God, we’ve got to filter things we should learn. We follow anything that may help us grow stronger in our faith in Christ, and disregard things that may cause lukewarmness in our faith. We have to rely upon the Holy Spirit always, why? Each time we make decision, we can be misled to follow the inclination of our human nature.

Whenever you watch the news, what is it that you are interested to know? Most probably, the weather forecast. You want to know if is extreme cold or hot weather. While weather forecasts may not be very accurate, you still watch it because there’s possibility that what is forecasted may happen, and you want to be prepared when you go out; surely you don’t to be sorry for not being prepared.

We love fair weather, not very cold and not very hot. Extreme cold or hot weather is not easily appreciated. Actually, extreme or fair weather are partial taste or temporal experience of eternal reality. How’s your spiritual temperature? Let’s reflect on what it says in 2 Timothy 3:16-17,¹⁶All Scripture is God-breathed

and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

To be ready of possibly extreme weather, we seriously pay attention to the weather forecast. Likewise,we double our seriousness and be attentive to the possible return of Christ sooner. The Scripture is useful for us to be ready for eternal realities. We should be more serious in our training for righteousness.

In the military, soldiers train regularly and not just one time. Anytime enemies may attack, and trained soldiers should not be caught by surprise. Similarly, we should be wise as children of God and spiritually ready. We have to train in righteousness regularly like soldiers of the King of kings. The more we regularly train, the more we become expert in Christian behavior. Amen!

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