“A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.” Proverbs 15:1. If we would do what this verse says, the world would be so different.
Our tongue has a lot of power. Sometimes we speak good and sometimes evil.
No matter how hard we try, we still say things that are harmful and hurtful to others. The Bible tells us the tongue is a fire.
“And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.” James 3: 6, 9.
Our words express our inner heart and mind, and only God can change these. When someone provokes us to anger or treats us in a way that makes us want to get back at them, we have to depend on God to help us. He tells us to overcome evil with good and that is not always easy.
We trust God to remind us that gentle words turns away wrath.