The Weight of Words

Words carry weight. The right ones lift up; the wrong ones tear down. Have you ever said something in the heat of an argument that you later wished you could take back? All of us have. The problem is that words don't come back. They stay — in the memory, in the heart, sometimes for years. The Proverb isn't asking you to pretend everything is fine when it isn't. It's showing that how something is said matters as much as what is said. A truth spoken with gentleness opens doors; the same truth hurled in anger closes them. Before you say something difficult to your spouse, take a deep breath and ask: "Do I want to resolve this, or do I want to win this fight?" If the answer is resolve, let love choose the words. God has already given you wisdom — ask that it arrive before your tongue does.