George S. Patton, perhaps America’s greatest World War II general, did not suffer his greatest disaster on the battlefield, but in a hospital tent. Visiting wounded soldiers on Sicily, he came upon Paul Bennett, an artilleryman suffering from “battle fatigue,” now most often called posttraumatic stress disorder. Enraged, Patton slapped the man, called him a coward and numerous other unprintable names, and then pulled his gun and threatened to shoot the man. Patton didn’t believe battle fatigue was a real illness, but he simply didn’t know what he didn’t know. When word reached his superiors of the outburst, Patton was sidelined.

A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

Proverbs 15:1

Anger usually does more damage than good. When you unleash your wrath – on a spouse, a child, a colleague, or that lackadaisical government clerk who doesn’t seem to care – you may feel better for a moment, but the aftermath will be regrettable. Worst of all, you may not really know what’s going on inside of that person’s heart or head, and rage may destroy your opportunity to be the voice or hands of Christ.

Harsh words are abundant today in Washington, your workplace, perhaps even your home. Ask God to help you be a courier of “soft answers.”

Recommended Reading: James 1:12-20