A Soft Answer

I had an accident yesterday on my way home from work. The traffic was very heavy and every one was impatient to get home. I am not exactly sure how it happened but the next minute I had collided with another car! I remained in my car, but the other driver angrily got out of his to inspect the damage. When he saw it he became more angry! He ranted and raved, but I remained very quiet in my car. A police man came over and directed me how to inch away from the other car so that they could make a proper assessment and I did.All the while the other driver was angrily cursing! Eventually the traffic began to flow again and the police man asked me to park properly so we could negotiate on repairs, but I asked them to follow me to a clearer part of the road so I could give them my contact details and we can meet at my office.

As I started to move on, I kept looking back through my rear window to ensure that they were following, but at some point I noticed that they detoured and went another way. I slowed at the entrance to my street and kept looking out for the driver and the police man, but they never showed up so I drove home. It was when I got home that I inspected my car too. I suffered light scratches but nothing major. I said a thank you to the Lord. I would not have wanted to bring an unexpected bill to my husband.

I thanked God not only for the fact that my car was not damaged, but for the entire incident. I knew without a doubt that it could have been worse if not for the wisdom of God. When the accident happened and the other driver started to shout at me angrily, the words that crept quietly into my heart was "a soft answer drives away wrath.." And I knew that was a word from the book of proverbs and so I obeyed and kept quiet. When I eventually spoke and asked them to follow me it was in a quiet controlled voice and the result was that they decided to go their way and leave me alone.

A potential calamity was turned around because of the wisdom of quietness in the face of contention. As a lawyer I could have come out of my car and tried to prove some point but I do not think the result would have been as peaceful as this.

Too often we want to assert our right and prove a point, but sometimes a better way is quietness, stillness and silence. We do not have to have an answer for every issue neither do we need to prove a point or have our way every time. Sometimes it may just be wiser to let other people have their way even if they are wrong and you are right. Why fight wars that do not have bounties?

Deep inside us we have respect for people who have the strength to over look insults and look the other way for a greater purpose. Yes, those without foresight may think and say that they are weak, but in the end it is easily determined who is the stronger of the two. The way of peace will always be superior than the way to war. Offenses will always come and as my husband would say, some people are created just to cause other people offenses! So it is not wise to answer every offense with an offense.

If couples would walk in this wisdom, there would be fewer heated arguments at home.

I was so happy with the outcome of that accident that I have decided to keep learning to be still and to be quiet. Who cares if anyone thinks I am weak, what is important to me is that I create an environment of peace and not war around me.