Read Proverbs 25:15
For Leslie, another Friday night brings another family fight. She wants to go to the movies and spend the night with Michelle and a bunch of other girls. Leslie's dad wants more information before he lets her go. He asks her, "What movie will you see? What friends will be there? Will Michelle's parents be home?" When Leslie admits that she doesn't know the answers to these questions, her dad tells her that she can't go unless she finds out all the details.
Leslie responds angrily, "What do you mean 'all the details'? Don't you trust me? You never let me go anywhere. You hate me."
Angered, her dad confronts her. "Sorry, Leslie, you're not going to talk to me in that tone of voice. You're grounded all weekend."
Words become weapons. The weapons leave wounds. Wounds that hurt. Wounds that last.
Think About It
If Leslie had applied Proverbs 25:15, she might have been able to work out a compromise with her dad. "With patience you can persuade a ruler, and a soft tongue can break bones."
Patience and gentleness are two keys to the best possible relationship with your parents. These traits build bridges between you and your parents, instead of building walls.
Think about your conversations with your parents in the past week. Did you build bridges or walls? Did you show patience toward your parents? How could you have spoken with gentleness?
Pray About It
Lord, I confess that I do not always show patience and gentleness toward my parents. Help me to be quick to listen and slow to speak. Guide me as I build bridges, not walls, with my parents.
Daily Reading Plan—Read James 1
God's Word for Students.
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1 comment:
I deal with this everyday at my dispatch job. I work with people that are in stressful situations. When they call, I listen and assure them everything is going to be all right. I speak softly and they start to calm down.
I also deal with it in my family, not as good as I should. When things start to get heated, I try to stay calm. The calmer I stay the sooner the issue gets resolved. It is when I get angry that the issue lasts longer. I ask God to help me with this.
You might not believe this, but I have to use it in church also. There are many issues that come up and people get angry. I speak to them in a soft caring voice, (help me do better Jesus) and they start to understand that the matter of the fact is we are on the same team just having a little disagreement. I always try to get people to either call me or lets get face to face (the better) and talk out anything. Almost every time we have a face to face and talk about an issue, it is resolved in a way God can get glory. When people don’t agree to sit down and talk, they often move on in life. It seems sometimes we would rather give up on a friendship then to go through the tough conversations. Some people say I like confrontation which is not true. I just would rather go through it then to lose a friend. If you are reading this and there is an issue, please contact me.
My supervisor at work said, “I don’t understand how you stay calm in so many situations.” I can stay calm because of Who lives in me. It is Jesus at work. Once the Holy Spirit directs all of your life, it makes a difference. When I get angry, I am trying to control my life, when I stay calm, I am trusting Christ in my life. Who are you trusting?
Building Bridges,
PS
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