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Prior to the Civil War, Sojourner Truth spoke out against the evil of slavery. Many people opposed her anti-slavery messages; and once, an angry crowd of young hoodlums tried to stop her from speaking. Instead of giving into fear, this Christ-centered woman left the podium and went down to confront them — despite the advice of her supporters. When she reached the angry mob, she started to sing. The fuming protesters were so amazed by her powerful singing that they forgot their anger and asked her to sing some more. She did, and by this time, they were ready to hear her antislavery message. She gave it to them. Sojourner Truth proved the accuracy of Proverbs 29:25, which says, “Fearing the people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the LORD means safety.” On this and other occasions, Sojourner Truth reflected the wisdom Solomon counseled his son to pursue. Proverbs 29:8 records his observation that, “Mockers can get a whole town agitated, but the wise will calm anger.” We need more people like Sojourner Truth — people who can calm anger. The complexity of our society often causes people to become irrational. They lash out at loved ones, and even at people they don’t know. In these testy times, let us all remember God’s word from Proverbs 15:1, “A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.”
