Monday, January 13

A mild answer turns away rage, but a harsh word stirs up anger. —Prov. 15:1.

What can we do when we are facing a tense situation, such as when someone slanders the name of our God or ridicules the Bible? We should ask Jehovah for his spirit and for his wisdom to respond in a mild way. What if we later realize that we did not respond as well as we should have? We can pray again about the matter and think of how we can do better the next time. In turn, Jehovah will grant us his holy spirit so that we can control our temper and show mildness. Some Bible verses can help us to control our speech when confronted with difficult situations. God’s spirit can bring those texts to mind. (John 14:26) For example, the principles we find in the book of Proverbs can help us to be mild. (Prov. 15:18) That Bible book also reveals the benefits of showing restraint in tense situations. —Prov. 10:19; 17:27;21:23; 25:15. w23.09 15 ¶6-7