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Dr. Gary Chapman and Arlene Pellicane reveal how technology is changing our k...

Lucy Worsley is a British historian and TV presenter. Like most people in the public eye, she sometimes receives nasty mail—in her case, over a mild speech impediment that makes her R’s sound like W’s. One person wrote this: “Lucy, I’ll be blunt: Please try harder to correct your lazy speech or remove R’s from your scripts—I couldn’t sit through your TV series because it made me so annoyed. Regards, Darren.”

For some people, an insensitive comment like this might trigger an equally rude reply. But here’s how Lucy responded: “Oh Darren, I think you’ve used the anonymity of the internet to say something you probably wouldn’t say to my face. Please reconsider your unkind words! Lucy.”

Lucy’s measured response worked. Darren apologized and vowed not to send anyone such an email again.

“A gentle answer turns away wrath,” Proverbs says, “but a harsh word stirs up anger” (15:1). While the hot-tempered person stirs things up, the patient person calms them down (v. 18). When we get a critical comment from a colleague, a snide remark from a family member, or a nasty reply from a stranger, we have a choice: to speak angry words that fuel the flames or gentle words that douse them.

May God help us to speak words that turn away wrath—and perhaps even help difficult people to change.

To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/110/29 3666 Thomas Classic (Rebellion, Disillusionment, Communism) Thomas turns from religion to communism and then tonothinglosing family and friends along the way. Snapping to attention for the call to colors in the Army, he realizes an unconscious return to patriotism. When the sermon at his father’s funeral offers no hope of the future, he stumbles upon Pacific Garden Mission where he discovers the hope of eternal life in Jesus Christ.