Holding Your Tongue

Today I wanted to talk about two little verses from Proverbs - both having to do with when we speak and when we don't.

Proverbs 26:20 Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down. NIV

It is often our natural tendency when an argument starts to find any means possible to win. That includes saying things about the other person in order to cut them down and build you up. It may not even be conscious, but we do it. In court we call it attacking credibility. On the street its just plain old gossip. How many arguments might be solved if we didn't resort to gossip.

Proverbs 29:11 A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.
NIV

When you get angry your emotions tend to take over and it is oh so easy to just let go, let it out, blast the other person because they deserve it after all. But it is wisdom to put a governor on that anger, just like some cars have governors that keep them from going too fast.

Paul the Apostle says "in your anger do not sin." (Ephesians 4:26).

Just remember: in any argument there are rarely any innocent parties.

Pastor Tom