A Soft Answer

I’d been meaning to have a talk with someone close to me, but I kept putting it off. Every attempt before had fallen flat, and deep down, I knew this conversation couldn’t wait forever. I just needed the right time, the right setting, and maybe — just maybe — the understanding I’d been hoping for.

Bringing up the topic again was emotional for me. I was afraid it would lead to another disagreement, another wall being built, another day where my true feelings would go unheard. But this time, I approached the conversation differently.

To my surprise, the response was nothing like I expected. The person listened — really listened — and even agreed with what I shared about where things stood between us. They said it would be selfish of them not to want me to grow. No harsh words were exchanged. No lines were crossed or words spoken that couldn’t be taken back.

Instead, I was met with something I hadn’t experienced in a long time — a calm, understanding tone. A soft answer. One that caught me so off guard, I had to pause and reflect to make sure it was really happening.

Proverbs 15:1 says, “A soft answer turneth away wrath, but grievous words stir up anger.” I’ve read that scripture before, but today, I understood it in a way I never had. Sometimes we expect storms, yet we’re met with stillness. Sometimes the peace we’ve been praying for shows up not in perfect outcomes, but in gentle replies that calm what we feared would rise again.

This moment reminded me that softness isn’t weakness — it’s strength wrapped in grace. It’s choosing peace when chaos feels easier. And maybe, it’s also God’s way of showing that healing can begin in conversations we once dreaded.

May we all find the courage to speak softly, listen fully, and trust that grace can do what force never could.


-Toniray

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