There's an old saying that goes something like this: "It's not what you say; it's how you say it." My goodness....that is SO true! Now, of course, sometimes the content is toxic, granted. When that's the case, well, it's just time to "throw down", you know what I mean? (I could go all "Judge Roy Moore" here, given the current political kerfuffle...but won't. Those of you savvy in current events will get the reference.)
But, I'm talking about when the content is wise, sound, good stuff! If even the best content is said with either a condescending, prideful, manipulative or sometimes even a well-intentioned "tone", it is not well-received.
On a more humorous side note, "voice texting" trips this Southern girl up constantly. Recently, I sent a text concerning my niece's pie shop, and before I proofed the text sent "pot shop" instead. Raised a few eyebrows! Routinely, voice text converts my "as" to "ass" - - - makes for some interesting convo...
Some of us have God-given beautiful-sounding voices. Lovely resonance, beautiful intonation - - - and it is a pleasure to listen to those people! Some of my relatives are "in radio". Their voices are glorious! Others of us do not, by nature, have such pleasant-sounding voices. And, then there is that special club, of which I'm a member - - - that group with the harsh-sounding vocal tone AND a warrior spirit. We have to constantly bear our predispositions in mind when we are speaking, no matter what we are saying.
I thought about this the other day while planning a presentation for a business event. I came up with the idea of doing a storyboard, not the electronic kind, but the hand-made kind. So, I devised the content and had Office Max print each blurb on an 11x17 card stock sheet. The idea was that, while lovely music played, I'd flip the cards to my small audience, thereby communicating my "message", untainted by my voice. And, do you know why I decided to try this approach? Because it is so easy for my voice to sound "preachy". Well, it did not work out very well. Right in the middle of the presentation .... the doorbell rang. Sigh! Best-laid plans, and all that.
So, here's today's Proverb which fits this meandering post. (Yes, we are still in Proverbs, but have at long last left Proverbs 14, where I'll bet you thought we'd be forever.) Look at Proverbs 15:1 - -
A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
(ESV)
Proverbs 25:15b (ESV) goes even farther:
... a soft tongue will break a bone.
What? The blog title didn't convey what you thought it would, did it? I love this verse!
It's great that using gentleness in speech will tamp down anger, but what does it mean that gentleness in speech will break a bone?
To the commentaries we go!1
Barnes points out how counterintuitive this verse is. The thing that seems the least capable of an action instead accomplishes it.
Don't you wish you had heard Jesus "speak to" the winds and the waves during that ferocious storm on the Sea of Galilee? The text does not say He shouted at them. He spoke "Peace. Be still." (Mark 4:39). A rebuke, delivered softly, produced waves and wind calming instantly.
To Matthew Poole, a mild, humble answer soften hearts hard as stone.
Gill, in his exposition of the Bible says this: "words delivered in soft language, remove hardness and roughness from the minds of men; and work upon, influence, and bend men, whose wills are obstinate and stubborn, and make them pliable and tractable". Gill then references David's gentle words to Saul and Abigail's gentle words to David.
A fourth commentator, Jarchi, interprets these "soft words" to be words spoken in prayer and supplication, prayers which break "bones" (spiritual strongholds) that even the strongest "jaws" (carnal weapons) can fail to crush.
I don't know about you, but these verses brought to my mind some "bones" I'd love to see crushed. Let's make sure we don't allow our words to work against the will of God, to frustrate the very spiritual outcomes which are our hearts' deepest desires!
Source:
1 http://biblehub.com/commentaries/proverbs/25-15.htm
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