First Cumberland Presbyterian of Oak Ridge

𝗕𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟮𝟰, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
Jesus said, “𝐷𝑜 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑗𝑢𝑑𝑔𝑒, 𝑜𝑟 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑡𝑜𝑜 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑏𝑒 𝑗𝑢𝑑𝑔𝑒𝑑.”
(Matthew 7:1, NIV)

𝗝𝘂𝗱𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴. We hate it when people judge us, but we constantly judge others. We do it openly and without reservation and we do it unconsciously without realizing how damaging it is to our relationships and our soul.

There are four thought patterns that create internal judgments: Constantly 𝑒𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 others, constantly 𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑔𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑧𝑖𝑛𝑔 others, constantly 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 ourselves to others, and constantly 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 with others. Evaluating, categorizing, comparing, and competing destroys relationships.

“𝑊ℎ𝑦 𝑑𝑜 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑙𝑜𝑜𝑘 𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑘 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑎𝑤𝑑𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑏𝑟𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟’𝑠 𝑒𝑦𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑝𝑎𝑦 𝑛𝑜 𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑘 𝑖𝑛 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑒𝑦𝑒?” (Matthew 7:3)

𝗣𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿: Loving God, help me to focus on those things in my life that I need to change, and keep me from looking for those things in the lives of others that need to be changed. Amen.

𝗕𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟮𝟯, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
“𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑚𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑚𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑡𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑖𝑛 𝑓𝑢𝑙𝑙, 𝑎𝑑𝑑 𝑎 𝑓𝑖𝑓𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑖𝑡 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑔𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑖𝑡 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑜𝑤𝑛𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑎𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑟 𝑔𝑢𝑖𝑙𝑡 𝑜𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔.”
(Leviticus 6:5, NIV)

𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 – seeking to set right what you have done wrong – is a central practice for spiritual health. It was commanded in Leviticus 6:5.

Sadly, some people believe that grace means never having to make amends… Making amends is not a violation of grace; it is a means of grace. It is what love would do. It seeks to right those I have wronged and am now called to love. And it helps me to change. This is why the eighth and ninth steps in Alcoholics Anonymous are to first become willing to make amends and then (as possible) to actually make them. If I owe someone money, I pay them back. If I have gossiped about someone, I confess it and ask their forgiveness. If I have lied to someone, I acknowledge my lie and tell them the truth…

One of the wonderful gifts of making amends is it helps to free us from the ridiculous idea that our characters are above questioning. Our characters need to be questioned! We are, in the words of one writer, part of the Universal League of the Guilty. We don’t pretend perfection. We don’t get discouraged by setbacks and relapses. But we are on the road.
(John Ortberg in 𝐸𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝐼𝑠 𝑁𝑜𝑤 𝑖𝑛 𝑆𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛, pages 114-115)

𝗣𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿: Gracious God, show me the path to right relationships. Give me the courage to make amends. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

𝗕𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟮𝟮, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
The Apostle Paul says, “𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑎𝑙𝑙 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑓𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑟𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑔𝑙𝑜𝑟𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝐺𝑜𝑑, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑒𝑑 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑒𝑙𝑦 𝑏𝑦 ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑑𝑒𝑚𝑝𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑐𝑎𝑚𝑒 𝑏𝑦 𝐶ℎ𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑡 𝐽𝑒𝑠𝑢𝑠.” (Romans 3:23-24, NIV)

𝗚𝗼𝗱’𝘀 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗨𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲. Your sins don’t surprise God, and God won’t stop loving you when you sin. God doesn’t love you because of who you are or what you’ve done, but because of who He is and what He has done. That is the central message of the gospel and the Bible has a word for it: 𝐺𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑒.

Scripture states: “He forgave us 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑜𝑢𝑟 sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, 𝑛𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠” (Colossians 2:14).

The Christian life isn’t a mistake-free life, but it can be a guilt-free life. That amazing grace comes through God’s unconditional love.

We don’t have to live with guilt, but we do have to live with the consequences of our choices. How we handle the mistakes we’ve made can be a greater witness than all the positive things we do for God. Do we let our mistakes define us or do we show how God can turn failures into triumphs?

An amazing part of God’s grace isn’t just the power to forgive. It’s also the strength He gives us to overcome and start over.

𝗣𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿: Mighty God, thank you for your amazing grace and unconditional love. I would be lost without it. With it, I can turn the darkest moments into a beacon of light. Give me the strength to be an overcomer. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

𝗕𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗙𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿’𝘀 𝗗𝗮𝘆
𝐹𝑎𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑠, 𝑑𝑜 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑒𝑥𝑎𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑛; 𝑖𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑎𝑑, 𝑏𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚 𝑢𝑝 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑖𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑢𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐿𝑜𝑟𝑑.
Ephesians 6:4

𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗙𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 (Joe Pettigrew)

A father’s role in the life of a child is a unique and irreplaceable calling, one designed by God to provide strength, guidance, and a model of faithful leadership. While a mother’s nurture is foundational, a father’s presence offers a different kind of security—a steady anchor in the storms of life. Fathers are often the ones who encourage adventure, who teach resilience through skinned knees and lessons learned, and whose approval builds a deep sense of confidence and identity in a child’s heart. Their strength is not just physical but emotional and spiritual, creating a safe space for their children to grow and flourish.

The spiritual leadership of a father is profoundly impactful. When a father leads his family in prayer, opens the Word with them, and demonstrates a life of integrity and dependence on God, he provides a powerful example for his children to follow. He becomes a living reflection of our Heavenly Father's character—a provider, a protector, and a source of wisdom. This consistent, daily walk of faith does more to shape a child’s spiritual compass than any sermon ever could. It shows that God is not just for Sundays, but for every moment of life.

The responsibility of fatherhood is a high calling, and it is a ministry that builds a legacy for generations to come. Today, let us honor the fathers who are striving to lead their families with love and godliness. Let us pray for them, encourage them, and recognize the vital role they play.

𝗣𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿: Eternal Father, may I remember that a strong, and loving father is a profound gift, one that helps shape children who are secure, courageous, and grounded in the knowledge of their earthly father’s love and, ultimately, the unending love of their Father in heaven. Amen.

𝗕𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟮𝟬, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝐽𝑜𝑠𝑒𝑝ℎ 𝑠𝑎𝑖𝑑 𝑡𝑜 ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑏𝑟𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑠, “𝐶𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑚𝑒.” 𝑊ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 ℎ𝑎𝑑 𝑑𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑠𝑜, ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑎𝑖𝑑, “𝐼 𝑎𝑚 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑏𝑟𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝐽𝑜𝑠𝑒𝑝ℎ, 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑑 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑜 𝐸𝑔𝑦𝑝𝑡! 𝐴𝑛𝑑 𝑛𝑜𝑤, 𝑑𝑜 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑏𝑒 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑑𝑜 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑏𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑟𝑦 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑠 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑚𝑒 ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒, 𝑏𝑒𝑐𝑎𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑖𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑙𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝐺𝑜𝑑 𝑠𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑚𝑒 𝑎ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑦𝑜𝑢.” (Genesis 45:4-5, NIV)

𝗝𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗽𝗵. It’s not fair! A lot of very cruel, unfair things happened to Joseph and he had many opportunities to become bitter.

How about you? Do you ever have opportunities for bitterness? Does it help to become bitter? Are you happier? Is there more joy in your life when you’re bitter? You may feel like your life has been stolen by people who have mistreated you. If you stay bitter, what people did to you in the past will steal your future.

You can’t change the past, but you can change your future. Joseph moved past the horrible things his brothers did to him. He built a bridge of hope instead of a barrier of bitterness and blessed his brothers and his family. What an amazing example for us to follow. Don’t waste your life being bitter. Let God bless your future!

𝗣𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿: It’s so easy, Lord, to be angry and bitter. It’s so easy to nurse a grudge and plot my revenge. It’s so hard, Lord, to love and forgive. Enable me to do the hard things. Amen.

𝗕𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟭𝟵, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
“𝐼𝑓 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑏𝑟𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑟 𝑠𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑠, 𝑔𝑜 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑝𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑟 𝑓𝑎𝑢𝑙𝑡, 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑏𝑒𝑡𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑤𝑜 𝑜𝑓 𝑦𝑜𝑢. 𝐼𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑛 𝑡𝑜 𝑦𝑜𝑢, 𝑦𝑜𝑢 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑤𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚 𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟.” (Matthew 18:15, NIV)

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. Most of us were not taught communication or conflict resolution skills. Here are a few suggestions on how to have tough conversations:
· Don’t practice toxic relational behaviors: anger, name-calling, criticism, defensiveness, cynicism, passive aggression. (Proverbs 15:1, Ephesians 4:31)
· Don’t be a terrorist - attack and then run for cover. (Matthew 5:9, Leviticus 19:18)
· Don’t hit below the belt – don’t say things that will wipe the other party out. (James 1:19)
· Don’t jump to negative conclusions – assume the other party has your best interests at heart. (Philippians 2:4)
· Don’t cave in to conflict avoidance – address uncomfortable topics honestly and respectfully. (Matthew 18:15)
· Don’t aim at short-term success – stay focused on a long-term relationship. (Romans 12:17-21)
· Don’t give up – continue patiently searching for a solution. (1 Corinthians 13:4)

𝗣𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿: Guiding God, give me the wisdom to know when and how to approach difficult conversations. Amen.

𝗕𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟭𝟴, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
“𝐵𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑒𝑎𝑐ℎ 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑔𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑖𝑓 𝑎𝑛𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑦𝑜𝑢 ℎ𝑎𝑠 𝑎 𝑔𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑣𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑎𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑠𝑡 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑜𝑛𝑒. 𝐹𝑜𝑟𝑔𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑎𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐿𝑜𝑟𝑑 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑔𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢.” (Colossians 3:13, NIV)

𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿’𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀 is how the New Living Translation puts it. How do we do that? Paul says that forgiveness is the best way to accomplish that. Why should we forgive? Paul says that we are called to forgive because we have been forgiven. We are to show grace to others because God has shown grace to us.

It’s much easier to be selfish instead of gracious. We see the slow cashier in the grocery store as a five-minute interruption to our day rather than somebody who might be struggling to keep their job or somebody who just received the worst news of their life. We see someone in our family who is struggling as a drain on us rather than seeing their hopelessness over a desperate situation. We see the person who cut us off on the freeway as a villain instead of someone in need of God’s love.

We all need God’s love and grace. You may be that cashier someday or that family member or that careless driver. How would you want people to treat you? The ultimate way to show people grace is to see them as people instead of an interruption or a drain or a villain. And when they offend you, forgive them.

𝗣𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿: Gracious God, keep me from dehumanizing or demonizing someone because I’m so focused on my own needs and wants. Help me to become like Christ, in whose name I pray. Amen.

𝗕𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟭𝟳, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
“𝑊𝑒 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑘𝑒𝑒𝑝 𝑜𝑛 𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑒𝑎𝑐ℎ 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟…”
(Hebrews 10:24, CEV)

𝗔 𝗠𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗡𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿. Researchers have found that in 𝑎𝑛𝑦 relationship, when there is a ratio of about five encouraging, hope-filled, positive, bonding comments for every one negative, difficult (negative emotion) comment (about 5 to 1) the relationship is likely to flourish.

John Gottlieb, a leading marriage researcher, says that he can actually predict whether or not a marriage will end in divorce with over a 90% accuracy level based on listening and hearing a husband and wife talk to each other for less than five minutes. If that ratio is lower than 5 to 1, the relationship is headed for trouble.

In the workplace, that same ratio applies. When there is a boss and an employee or a team and they’re having about five basically encouraging, positive comments for every one negative comment, they are in optimal performance mode, and if it dips a certain level below this, there’s going to be trouble, and they don’t perform as effectively.

The same thing is true in families and in churches. That’s why the writer of Hebrews says, “𝐿𝑒𝑡 𝑢𝑠 𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑒𝑎𝑐ℎ 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑑𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑦.”

𝗣𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿: Lead me, Lord, in all my relationships to bring out the best in others and not the worst. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

𝗕𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟭𝟲, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
“𝐴 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑑𝑜𝑒𝑠 𝑤𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑠!”
(Proverbs 12:25, TLB)

𝗘𝗻𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. If someone said to you, “Let’s have lunch. I want to point out all the things in your life that need to be changed,” how would you respond? I wouldn’t be thrilled and I wouldn’t want to have that conversation.
There’s a better strategy if you need to have a speak-the-truth-in-love session with someone. Begin and end on a positive note. This is good advice in marriage as well as business. The first thing out of your mouth shouldn’t be negative. People naturally become defensive when attacked. First let them know how much you appreciate or care about them. As Paul said in Philippians, “𝑖𝑓 𝑎𝑛𝑦𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑠 𝑒𝑥𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑟 𝑝𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑠𝑒𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑡ℎ𝑦 – 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑘 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑠𝑢𝑐ℎ 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠.”
Another piece of advice: never use the word “but” in a confrontation. Whatever you say before or after will be totally ignored or invalidated. “I think you’re a great person, but …” “We’ve been friends a long time, but …” “I love you, but…” Instead, use the word “and.” “You’re a great person, and …” “We’ve been friends a long time, and …” “I love you, and …”
When evaluating employees, I was taught to talk about strengths and opportunities for growth. “You are doing a great job in these areas and here are a few opportunities for growth.” A word of encouragement does wonders!

𝗣𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿: Loving God, help me to remember how fragile and important people and relationships are. Guide me in the way I relate to them. May I be as encouraging and supportive of them as I want them to be of me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

𝗕𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟭𝟱, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
“A wise, mature person is known for his understanding. The more pleasant his words, the more persuasive he is.”
(Proverbs 16:21, GNT)

𝗚𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘂𝗮𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲. This is extremely important if you’re in sales. The hard sell no longer works. It doesn’t work in life either.

Proverbs 25:15 says, “𝐺𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑙𝑒 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑐ℎ 𝑏𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑘𝑠 𝑑𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑟𝑖𝑔𝑖𝑑 𝑑𝑒𝑓𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑒𝑠” (MSG). If you’re trying to convince someone to do something, don’t go in with the hard sell. Even when people have their guard up, gentle speech will get their attention because gentleness breaks down rigid defenses.

If you want to lead people to Christ or encourage them to go to church, do it in a gentle way. Speak the truth in love. If you go in with an angry attitude and tell them all the things they are doing wrong and all the terrible things that could happen to them, it just builds emotional barriers. It’s counterproductive. Nagging never works. But gentleness is persuasive. It’s the mark of maturity. Wise, mature people are pleasant. Fools are rude. You’re never persuasive when you’re abrasive.

𝗣𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿: Gracious God, it’s so easy to demean and belittle. It’s so hard at times to be patient and kind. It’s so easy to be abrasive and so difficult to speak the truth in love. Guide me in the way of wisdom. In Jesus’ name. Amen.