Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Foreign.
[00:00:09] Well, hey, friends, welcome back to another edition of the weekday podcast. Thanks for hanging out with us this week. Pastor Chuck will be back on the podcast next week, and we love getting to hang out with you every single weekday. This week has all been about conflict. And today I want to encourage you, do not take the bait. And here's where this comes from. In Proverbs 15:1, the writer says this. A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Now, if we're honest, conflict doesn't usually announce itself. In fact, it usually jumps out at us. In the middle of a stressful day, that sharp email shows up. Or during dinner, a comment from a family member stings more than we expected. We didn't go looking for a fight, but suddenly we find ourselves in one. And that's when the trap is set. Every conflict comes with a hidden trap. And here's the trap, man. Match their energy. Match their tone. Match their bitterness. That's what Proverbs 15:1 is warning us about. That when someone comes at us with heat and we match their tone, instead of lowering it, we just added fuel to the fire. The Hebrew word for wrath literally means rage or fury. But the Hebrew word for gentle carries the idea of something that's tender, soft, and healing, like a bomb.
[00:01:20] It's not just the absence of anger. It's actually the presence of peace. And so when you respond with gentleness, you're refusing to take the bait. Think about Jesus. He was constantly baited. The Pharisees, they tried to trap him with questions. The crowds, they misunderstood him. His disciples missed the point repeatedly. And yet Jesus was never reactionary. He didn't let their chaos pull him into it. He answered with wisdom, with calm, with compassion. He never compromised truth. But he also never lost his peace. Now, you and I, we're going to get baited this week, maybe even today, maybe before lunch, you're going to get that email that was unnecessarily sharp. You're going to face a sarcastic jab from someone who's been having a bad morning. You'll be tempted to win the moment instead of winning the relationship. But let me give you a playbook. One, pause. Don't respond on impulse. Let your emotions settle.
[00:02:15] Two, pray. Ask. Ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom and restraint. Number three, respond gently. Choose words that de escalate instead of inflame. And four, disarm with kindness. Now, you do not have to mirror their intensity to make your point. Gentleness is not weakness. It's actually strength under control. And if you're a leader. If you're a parent, a coach or a friend, your response sets the tone. Others will follow your lead. They'll respond with peace and and you give them permission to breathe. React with heat and the whole room gets burned in what I would call the better way. We call this spiritual composure. The ability to stay grounded in truth without letting emotion take over. You can be clear and kind. You can be firm and gentle. And when you do, you model the very character of Jesus. Now here's the good news. You don't have to be perfect. You just have to be willing. Willing to pause, willing to pray. Willing to let gentleness win the moment. So today when the tension rises, choose the better way of conflict because God's not calling you to be reactive. He's inviting you today to be redemptive. Have a great day. We'll see you back here soon.
