Proverbs 15:1 says that a gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Even as Christians in business, sometimes we have disagreements with our employees, vendors, or even our customers.
Think about the last time you got into an argument or a very strong disagreement with someone, either at work or in your personal life. Here’s how it usually plays out: things start out as a minor issue or disagreement, but then one person or the other says something that turns up the heat on the conversation. This one cold, harsh, or antagonizing comment becomes the trigger point that turns an otherwise harmless issue into an emotionally charged conflict.
At this point, it can become quite difficult to remain calm and in control. I’ve been there before, both at home and at work. When this happens, we have to decide what’s most important to us. We must determine whether we want to be right and win the argument, or if we want to preserve the relationship with the person we’re having the issue with.
If we want to preserve the relationship, than we need to simply calm down and offer a soft and gentle response. Sometimes we just need to be wise, bite our tongue, and avoid making a bad situation worse. Maybe we need to simply agree to disagree and move on. Remember that that gentle answer will turn away the wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
So next time that you find yourself in a disagreement or potentially explosive situation, remain calm and offer a soft and controlled response. Maintain the relationship. When you do this, you will be applying the truth at work.