Do You Answer in Anger?

“An answer, when mild, turns away rage, but a word causing pain makes anger to come up.” So states Proverbs 15:1.

When you are angered by someone, are you impelled to get even and to ‘let him have a piece of your mind’? That can lead to serious consequences.

In New York City, a young girl came home after a heated argument over poor service in a pizzeria and told her stepfather about it. He went back to have a word with the store owner. A quarrel ensued, and the pizzeria owner shot the man to death.

Would following the advice of the foregoing proverb have helped in a situation like that? Recall the incident involving Abigail and David, as recorded in 1 Samuel 25:2-35. David was about to make a grave mistake when he received the bad report from the young men returning from Nabal, the husband of Abigail. Innocent blood would have been shed. Abigail’s mild answer, along with her kind deeds and humility, turned away the fiery rage of David and his men.