In Illustrations from Literature, Amy L. Person pointed out that in our eagerness to get people to do what we want, we sometimes forget the admonitions of Scripture to be controlled by love. When that happens, we quickly resort to nagging and scolding. This does more harm than good. To drive home her point, the author related an Aesop’s fable that tells of the wind and the sun arguing about which one was the stronger.

At last the sun said, “Look at that traveler down there. Let’s see which of us can get him to take off his coat. I’ll let you begin.” While the sun hid his face behind a cloud, the wind began to blow; but the harder he blew, the more firmly the poor fellow held his garment about him. Finally the wind gave up. Then the sun came out and shone so warmly that the man soon removed his coat.

Amy Person commented, “Many times kindness and gentleness will get results when fussing and scolding can do nothing but fail.”

Our Daily Bread, July 16