Choose Gentleness, Not Defensiveness

[Choose Gentleness, Not Defensiveness]( Current Teaching Series [Life's Healing Choices]( [Listen to Today's Broadcast]( [Choose Gentleness, Not Defensiveness]( By Rick Warren — 07/31/2021 [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Pinterest]( [Email]( “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." Proverbs 15:1 (NIV) Have you noticed that human beings have a tendency to mimic the emotions of people across from them? The reason we do this is because of mirror neurons in our brains. They allow us to sympathize and also to mirror what other people feel. For instance, if someone gets angry with you, you get angry back. If somebody is really sad and you hang around that person long enough, you start to get sad. In the same way, when people raise their voice against you, you usually raise your voice back. Then they raise their voice higher. Then you raise your voice higher. Then pretty soon it’s escalated, and your emotions are out of control. But the Bible says you actually can choose how you respond: “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Proverbs 15:1 NIV). Let me give you a little tip that will save you a lot of heartache and conflict in your life: When other people raise their voices, lower yours—in your marriage, in your parenting, in your friendships, and at work. That’s called strength under control. Gentleness defuses conflict. It deescalates anger. Here’s a good verse you’re going to need someday—maybe even this week. Ecclesiastes 10:4 says, “If your boss is angry at you, don’t quit! A quiet spirit can overcome even great mistakes” (NLT). When your boss tears into you or your spouse raises his or her voice in anger, realize it may not have anything to do with you. Instead of getting defensive, practice gentleness. Let your gentle answer disarm the other person and defuse the situation. [PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>]( Talk It Over - What is your normal reaction to raised voices—like when your kids are misbehaving or when you have a disagreement with your partner? - Why do you think responding in gentleness rather than anger is so disarming? Why does it get people’s attention? - Look for ways to practice gentleness this week. How do people react when you respond to them with gentleness? You may even want to record your efforts and their effect and share it with your small group. The post [Choose Gentleness, Not Defensiveness]( appeared first on [Pastor Rick's Daily Hope](. [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Pinterest]( [Email]( [Get the Life's Healing Choices Scripture Box with Bible Memorization Cards when you give a gift to support Daily Hope]( Every single one of us struggles with some sort of nagging hurt, hang-up, or habit. But you have a powerful source of truth that can lead you from heartache to healing—God’s Word! Discover how the truth of Scripture can help you break free from struggles and heal from wounds with the brand-new, Life’s Healing Choices Scripture box. This unique, vegan leather box, filled with a beautiful, 52-card set of key verses from Pastor Rick’s Life’s Healing Choices teaching series, will help you find hope and healing—and it’s our thanks for your gift below to help get the life-changing truth of Scripture out to more people around the world. [LEARN MORE]( [Complete Audio Series (Purchase)]( Includes 10 full-length messages from Pastor Rick's series Life's Healing Choices. [LEARN MORE]( [Series Summary]( Message 1: The Reality Choice Message 2: The Hope Your Need for Change Message 3: Letting Go and Letting God Message 4: The Housecleaning Choice Message 5: The Transformation Choice Message 6: The Relationship Choice Message 7: The Growth Choice Message 8: The Sharing Choice Message 9: What Destroys Relationships and What Builds Them Message 10: There's No Recovery Without Prayer [PLAY TODAY'S BROADCAST]( Pastor Rick Warren [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Linkedin]( Enjoy today's devotional? Listen to Pastor Rick’s daily audio teaching at [PastorRick.com]( Did someone forward this devotional to you? [Subscribe to Pastor Rick Warren's Daily Devotional.]( As the founding pastor of Saddleback Church with his wife Kay, Dr. Rick Warren leads a 30,000-member congregation in California with campuses in major cities around the world. As an author, his book [The Purpose Driven Life]( is one of the best-selling nonfiction books in publishing history. It has been translated into 74 languages and sold more than 50 million copies in all formats. His book [The Purpose Driven Church]( was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the century. Rick also founded [The PEACE Plan]( to address five global issues—spiritual emptiness, self-serving leadership, poverty, disease, and illiteracy—through the power of ordinary people in the local church. You can listen to Pastor Rick’s Daily Hope, his daily 25-minute audio teaching, and sign up for his free daily devotionals at [PastorRick.com](. © 2021 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission. You can unsubscribe by clicking the link below. Sent to: {EMAIL} [Unsubscribe]( Pastor Rick's Daily Hope, 23182 Arroyo Vista, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688, United States