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| Proverbs 15:1 |
You can sum up today's verse with the old adage, You can't fight fire with fire.
If someone comes at you with anger, control yourself. Be calm. Calm begets calm. But if you want a fight on your hands, say something sharp, biting or sarcastic.
No one likes to be in a position where they are wrong. And if they are angry, the average person will tend toward escalation if their is a rebuff. So, take a deep breath. Ask a calm question, "What is bothering you? Can I help?"
Empathy in a sincere manner also works.
I heard a great line his past week from my friend Mike W. He said, "The one who listens most controls the conversation."
That is so true. I used to get customers calling up and they would yell and yell into the phone. I'd let them go. I don't know what was bothering them that much, it certainly wasn't the error he was accusing me of. He might have had a bad time with his wife or his boss or gotten to work late. I was just in the path of the fury. I learned early on that listening, letting the person vent, then asking a calm question always seemed to bring peace to the conversation.
Try it the next time you are faced with anger by someone else. Remember, calm begets calm.
Book of Proverbs 15:1
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