A Soft Answer Is A Product Of Humility Day 19-20/30

We recently got this electric pressures cooker. It’s such a life saver, especially for things that take longer to cook like beans or for stock fish that smells strongly. It cooks fast and locks the smell inside the pot.

So what? Well, it came with a recipe book. This book has a special recipe for each meal, brown rice, white rice, jasmine rice, basmati rice, beans, chicken, beef, sauce, soup, yam the list is long.

Anyway, from the moment we opened the box and found the recipe book, I thought to myself, hmm… how nice but who’s gonna use that. I know how to cook and I can always figure out how to use it. And so I always just use the pot as the way I like or sometimes like a rice cooker. Works well when I make my African food but not quite well for my plain rice dishes.

My husband, Ade, on the other hand, doesn’t have as much confidence when it comes to cooking as I do. You know what he does? He brings out the book each time, follows the guide, and guess what? His plain rice dishes are always perfect. I wonder why 😜

The Bible is not just a guide, contains God’s words and they are powerful. And I mean strong. When you meditate on God’s words, over time the Holy Spirit infuses His power in you, making you able to obey that word. It’s really interesting how it happens. This is why I love this kind of challenge we are on. The more you expose your heart to God’s idea about something, the more your desires and actions will follow.

A soft answer turns away wrath,
But a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1 NKJV

“Patience can persuade a prince,
and a soft answer can break bones.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭25:15‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

As I read the verse above I feel some weakness in my bones😊.

Isn’t it true though? Haven’t you experienced that? Even in a movie, it works: There is a fight, then instead of the other person attacking back, they give a soft answer in response. It always changes the situation, doesn’t it?

There is great power in God’s word, quick and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, separating the souls from the spirits. What a blessing for the person who focuses his heart on the word of God to do it.

However, the truth is that when you are in the heat of an argument or when you feel attacked by someone’s speech, you usually don’t remember that patience is a fruit of the spirit, do you? Well, when you think like a human it’s normal to fight back. We have that survival instinct that scientists talk about. We never want to lose.

We bar our gates, fortify our defenses, attack, and do battle—even with those we love the most. But why? According to James 4:1–3, fights and quarrels result when:

* We don’t get something we want.
* We can’t have what we want.
* We envy those who have what we want.
* We look to people instead of to God for what we want.
* We regard our own pleasure as the highest goal.

-Power Of Word

In Christ though, there is a difference, you are no longer an ordinary human when you are in Christ. You are like Jesus.

As you feed your heart with God’s words you become more like him. You start to reduce the desire to fight for yourself and start gaining the desire to relax and let Him fight for you. It’s interesting… The urge to react rash because you feel like it will start to diminish. You start to think “how is this going to affect Christ’s plans?”

With these, people start loving to be around you. They start to get the vibes of he/she is really kind. Your children, spouse, friends, family, and coworkers will begin to enjoy the atmosphere around you. Even when they make mistakes, they know you won’t shove it down their throats.

This is humility.

It takes humility to give a soft response. Especially when the situation warrants a fight. It takes humility to not attack back and not defend yourself. It takes trusting in the abilities of Jesus to save you.

It takes humility to think about allowing God’s kingdom to come in your own life and around you. It takes humility to think about those watching your reaction. It takes humility to think you are building a foundation for the younger believers in your life.

Humility is a powerful weapon, a powerful influence. This puts your mind in a higher position. You know you are at peace with God and give charge to Him. You love your position of peace, no need to struggle with man. You don’t fight to win every argument, you know you already won in Christ. You just need to remain there.

Humility helps you bring a soft answer. Words of grace. These words are powerful and calm. These words have God’s power in them. They heal.

He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city. Proverbs 16:32 NKJV