Through patience a ruler can be persuaded,
and a gentle tongue can break a bone.Proverbs 25:15
Patience and a gentle tongue. They seem to go together. Too bad, I have neither naturally. The only comforting thing is that no one else in humanity have a bent of a gentle tongue and patience. Those qualities go against everything in my being. How about you? Let’s look at them separately and then bring them together.
Through patience a ruler can be persuaded. Well many times I found that one of my children liked to rule our home. Yes, there are definite times to “lay the law” down. There are other times where wisdom says, “let’s try to persuade her to seeing it differently than she currently does. You see, I could force my child to comply but it is better to change her thinking on the matter so she is totally on board. Anyone who has raised a teenager or a child diagnosed with autism will testify to the importance of this. It takes time (patience) but it brings great benefit.
A gentle tongue can break a bone. I need to tell those who are literal thinkers, no orthopedic surgeon needed! The writer of this proverb uses this word picture to tell the reader that words spoken with gentleness are powerful. We often think just the opposite. Gentleness has strength because it warms the listener to you emotionally. It is so rare that it makes a statement.
Think of using both of these together, a gentle tongue with patience. It seems to me that a patient person is more likely to speak with gentleness than and impatient person, Conversely, one who speaks with a gentleness in the choice of words and tone is more likely to be characterized by patience.
