Proverbs 15

Verse 1: A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare. (NLT)
Is this true for you? It is for me. I used to believe, in my arrogance, that if I spoke the truth in whatever form it was not my responsibility to worry about how the other person took it. Look at the above verse. A gentle answer or harsh words can be the exact same thought. At the right time and in the right place an anger deflector but the wrong time and place the same thought spoken can make tempers flare.
In fact, this entire chapter blows my theory right out of the water ..smokes it.

The Message translation puts verse 2 this way: Knowledge flows like spring water from the wise; fools are leaky faucets, dripping nonsense.
Oh how many times have I been the leaky faucet! I have alienated friends, family, my children at times...
See, it is the way you express the truth you have to communicate and when you choose to let it out. Part of it for me when I was younger was keeping people at bay. I was given the gift of discernment (not of spelling) and with any gift God gives us comes responsibility. It was easier to focus my knowledge and discernment on others so as to take the focus off of me.
A few months ago a friend and I had the opportunity to engage in a conversation with an atheist...a drunk atheist at that. The subject of religion came up. 20 minutes later we were arguing with this drunk atheist about God.
What could have been an opportunity to plant a seed in this young man turned into a Savior Brawl. Not good. And that's a great example of having the truth but not sharing it at the right time and the right way. All we did was show us to be what he thought of Christians anyway.
Verse 23: Everyone enjoys a fitting reply; it is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time! (NLT)
That night I didn't know that joy of a fitting reply at the right time.

Verse 28: The heart of the righteous weighs its answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil. (NIV)
Think before you speak is the phrase that comes to mind. And it is true and something I practice more and more every day. I mean just look at verse 31: He who listens to a life-giving rebuke will be at home among the wise. (NIV)
Join me today as we strive together to be more at peace with rebuke, quick to listen and slow to talk. After all, a person who listens more than they talk possesses a humble heart...ready to be taught.
As the chapter closes with "Fear-of-God is a school in skilled living— first you learn humility, then you experience glory" (Message)

The atheist from earlier would have been spoken too via my listening and my Christ-like heart and actions than he was by my mouth.

If I go through each day with the ever-present realization that I have much more to learn than I have to teach then I have learned humility.

Gods Speed,
Greg