PROVERBS 15
A soft answer turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger.
2 The tongue of the wise commends knowledge,
but the mouths of fools pour out folly.
3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place,
keeping watch on the evil and the good.
4 A gentle tongue is a tree of life,
but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.
5 A fool despises his father’s instruction,
but whoever heeds reproof is prudent.
6 In the house of the righteous there is much treasure,
but trouble befalls the income of the wicked.
– Proverbs 15:1-6
PROVERBS 15 THE GENTLE SPIRIT
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
Anyone who has a gentle spirit gives a soft answer
They do not utter harsh words or stirs up anger
They speak only what is honorable, true and lovely
They are understanding and patient with others
They rend their mouth and utter what is life giving
The gentle spirit is driven by the Spirit of the Lord
It does not give in to desires that come from this world.
In 1 Peter 3:3-4 he describes the importance of a gentle spirit just like Solomon talks about in this proverb. Peter admonishes us to let our adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.
While the world focuses on satisfying the desires of the flesh which leads to sin, the gentle spirit is a gift given to those who love the Lord with all their hearts, soul and mind.
REFLECTION
- If it is precious in God’s eye for us to have this kind of gentleness and stillness, how come many of us struggle having a quiet and calm spirit?
