The Power Of A Soft Answer

Written By Cheryl Henderson

October 20, 2026

Scripture Of The Day

“A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” — Proverbs 15:1

By Cheryl Henderson

There are so many voices in the world today, and sadly, many of them are harsh, critical, and unkind. I have to admit there have been times when I allowed myself to become one of those voices.

Have you ever walked away from a conversation thinking, Lord, I blew it again? Perhaps someone made an insensitive remark, and before you knew it, you responded with an unkind word. One harsh comment led to another until both of you were speaking in anger. Now your heart is heavy, the other person doesn’t want to talk, and you’re left wondering how to make things right.

In those moments, all you can do is get quiet before the Lord and ask Him for help. Thank God that He doesn’t turn away from us when we fail. Psalm 145:8–9 reminds us that the Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. He is good to all and has compassion on all He has made.

I’m so thankful that even when frustration gets the best of me, God still loves me and extends His compassion toward me. His grace doesn’t excuse my wrong responses; it allows me to grow and respond differently next time.

I often find myself praying, “Lord, help me lay down my defensiveness. Give me a heart that is willing to listen, understand, and consider how the other person feels.” “Love…will hardly even notice when others do it wrong” (1 Corinthians 13:5).

Cheryl Henderson

An Atlanta Ga native, Cheryl was married for 53 years to Ed Henderson. They have three sons and 8 grandchildren, and one great gran.

In January of 2021, Ed went home to be with the Lord after a brave fight with colon cancer.

Since 1985 Ed and Cheryl have been serving the Lord as evangelists in the Tennessee area and surrounding states.

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