Our Sunday Evening Message for January 22, 2023: 

​

                                           "People Skills"

​

                            Text: Proverbs 15:1-4,18, 24

​

In the next few weeks, we will be taken a tour through the book of  Proverbs. It will not be a study where we will examine every chapter and every verse as in previous Bible studies. In this study, we will be looking at the various themes found in Proverbs. Now, we will not cover every theme found in Proverbs, but we will look at the major themes, such as, wisdom, family, money, honesty, and many more.

 

In this study, we look at a skill that most people do not have especially in the work place, the home, and in the church. It is called "Peoples Skills."

It deals with the skill of speech. This is what the book of Proverbs is all about. It is a manual that teaches us what to say or not to say in any situation.

​

For example, Solomon advises us that "a soft answer turneth away wrath, but grievous words stir up anger." (Proverbs 15:1)  In other words, grievous words just adds fuel to the fire, while gracious words is like throwing water on a fire to put it out. In Solomon's day as well as our day, many will not let an insult go by without a challenge. In this text, Solomon gives us good advice by telling us it that it takes a strong character to return an insult with cool calm words.

​

In Proverbs 15:1, we see a contrast. The first part of this verse speaks of a person who has control of his emotions and spirit allowing the Holy Spirit to control him. On the other hand, the latter part of this verse is a person who has no control of his emotions, and is allowing the flesh to control him.

​

Solomon advises the same truth in Proverbs 15:18 when he says, "a wrathful man stirreth up strife, but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife." As you can see, people skills are hard to find today in our culture. However, it is needed to bring the temperature down in the room when people's tempers are running hot.

​

Do you have people skills? Well, it does not come from the flesh but only by the quiet voice of the Holy Spirit. If you are saved, are you listening to the Master's voice? Oh, what a difference it will make in any kind of dispute when an insult is met with a cool calm spirit.

 

 

 

​​​​​​​​​                                                       Pastor Michael R. Martin

 

 

 

 

​

​​                                                 

​