Okay, maybe you\u2019re tired of \u201clife hacks\u201d, but seriously: This one actually works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s genius.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And it\u2019s perfect for dealing with a fundamental human problem\u2014anger<\/a>!\u2014that seems particularly a problem right now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And we shouldn\u2019t be surprised it works, right? I mean, God made us. He knows how to live<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s a famous Proverb that says this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n A gentle answer turns away wrath; but a harsh word stirs up anger.<\/p>\nProverbs 15:1<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Maybe you\u2019ve seen this in action. Maybe you\u2019ve responded kindly to someone who was ticked off, and they calmed down. That\u2019s a great way to live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But here\u2019s where I think this particular verse is doubly genius: When we respond gently to someone<\/strong>, it also turns away our own anger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not just theirs! Ours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Try it sometime. Maybe in a social media thread, maybe in person, maybe on the phone. When we hear ourselves giving a gentle answer, we wind up immediately calmer. And that means we not only think more clearly, we develop a heart for the person we\u2019re dealing with<\/strong>. We can be truly for them, and not caught up in our own emotions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019re now free to bless rather than curse them. When I do this, I can almost feel my body temperature drop, and the stress leaving my body. I\u2019m not trapped in an argument in my head for the rest of the day and into the night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I sleep better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Again, no surprise, right? There\u2019s another Proverb, about living life this way, in accordance with the wisdom of God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.<\/p>\nProverbs 3:24<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n\n
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