Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding. Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent. Proverbs 16:27-28 – Most of the proverbs don’t have a general theme to the chapter, but is simply a gathering and arranging of Solomon’s proverbs. Chapter 17 though has a small theme about seeking peace with one another. It teaches about seeking love to cover offenses in verse 9 and about the wisdom of setting aside strife so it doesn’t cause lasting damaging in verse 14. In these last two verses we see the wisdom of silence. Often the easy move is to speak and let the unchecked emotions fly. Someone hurt us, someone was rude to us, or someone did something to a loved one…and we open our mouth in response…and often what comes out is not a blessing. Scripture is reminding us that the peace-bringing, godly choice in these situations that are ripe for hurting one another is to hold your words and cool down. Words said in anger are usually not the best words we could say in a situation and handling another person in the heat of an argument usually leads to things we’ll have to seek forgiveness over later. Scripture says even a fool who gets this and remains silent at such times is deemed intelligent and wise. Force yourself then in situations to pause, breathe, and approach possibly volatile situations with a cool attitude that is not fueled by frustration or anger. Stay your words and possibly step away if needed for a moment. You will better love one another and better represent our Savior when you restrain your words in these heated times and instead approach with gentleness and patience. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2925
Question To Ponder: Who is someone you know that thinks before they speak? How have you seen that impact situations?
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