Proverbs Chapter 25
Kill Them With Kindness.
Killing people with kindness means producing a change in their heart for good by using loving techniques versus hatredness and weapons.
Verse 14 says, “Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone.”
You can kill people with kindness using the key ingredient called respect. Let it be demonstrated with patience and a gentle tongue. If done with the heart of Christ, you can see walls fall down and change occur around you.
Once when I ran a Camp and Retreat Center, I came up with this new idea for the camp. When I presented it to the board members, it got shot down. It was a new idea and different than what they were used to. But I was patient and maintained respect for them as my authority. Over a few months I would begin to speak with 1 or 2 board members that I felt respected me as much as I respected them. Gradually I began to win them over to this new idea, until all board members said let’s do it. I could have come to the board meeting with a fighting attitude and lack of respect. All it would have produced is dissension and division. Thus making it harder to gain favor with them. One must maintain respect especially for one’s authorities. The second part of verse 14 says a gentle tongue can break a bone. Having a gentle tongue with respect is what can break down walls and attitudes and others’ disrespect. A harsh tongue only reinforces a wall of disrespect and division. If we all could learn the value of respect with patience and kindness, we could see great change in people’s lives (including ours) and in ministry.
