The Wisdom of a Dog

“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise makes knowledge pleasant, but the mouth of fools spouts foolishness.” – Proverbs 15:1

Have you ever responded to an uncomfortable or mean-spirited question defensively or in anger? I certainly have, and regretted it almost immediately. I did not respond wisely, or Christ-like in those circumstances.

Wisdom is the opposite of foolishness. Some people are considered wise because we rarely hear them speak. When they do, they share knowledge that we are eager to receive, because they are gentle and non-judgmental in their words, tone of voice, and facial expressions.

Wise speakers usually have learned the hard way that a spark of anger can release a bonfire of malice and wrath. It is easier to stomp out a few flames than to quench a hungry wildfire.

Charles Spurgeon gives this illustration. “I once lived where my neighbor’s garden was divided from me only by a very imperfect hedge. He kept a dog, and his dog was a shockingly bad gardener, and did not improve my plants. So, one evening, while I walked alone, I saw this dog doing mischief and being a long way off, I threw a stick at him, with some earnest advice as to his going home.

This dog, instead of going home, picked up my stick, and came to me with it in his mouth, wagging his tail. He dropped the stick at my feet and looked up to me most kindly. What could I do but pat him and call him a good dog, and regret that I had ever spoken roughly to him?”

In this case, the dog exercised more wisdom than the famed theologian! His lesson then and ours today is to respond to wrath with gentleness. It cools down a hot situation and opens the door for healthy relationships.

Pastor George