A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.
What of the one who does take pleasure in understanding, what does that person sound like?
Does it depend on the position of the speaker? We might give more weight to the words of a doctor of theology even if his style of speech is filled with pride in achievement. We would try to be gracious hearers and refrain from negative emotions. Not all doctors have a pleasant bedside manner.
Do we realize how we sound to others? Do we take into account the listener who has our attention? Do we know them well enough to temper our speech to allow important messages to be received with good intentions?
I never cared for the firebrand speeches of the passionate pastor. Neither did I take one seriously that sounded like milk toast. Their words softened the message and took all the flavor out of the message. Most of us are not pastors or teachers but our manner of speech is important when we are attempting to witness the gospel to the lost.
Good intentions mean nothing to the offended. Even our tender speech can be received as offensive. We are offering our opinion to the lost. The gospel is the truth but we do not know the ground upon which it falls. We are asked to spread the gospel liberally but we do not have to throw it violently at the ground as if velocity will penetrate hardened soil.
A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
We do not know what strangers define as harsh words. That changes nearly daily in this society and in a foreign land it is even more difficult to control.
It is difficult to be received in good faith if our faith does not temper our speech.