Have you ever noticed that a great deal of the messes in our lives are caused by careless use of words and too much talking? Some of the most devastating things that happen in relationships are when someone is not satisfied until they get the last word in. My oldest child always had to have the last word, and it was the last word that always got her in the most trouble. The truth is, the more we talk the more prone we are to say things we should not say. The more we talk the more we are prone to say things we will regret, the more prone we are to hurtful gossiping. Perhaps that is why the Lord says, “Where there are many words, sin is unavoidable, but he who holds his tongue is wise.” My experience has been that we talk our way into trouble far more than we talk our way out of trouble. Will Durant once said, “Nothing is often a good thing to do and almost always a clever thing to say.” You never have to explain what you do not say. There is a time to speak and a time to be silent. Wise is the person who develops that good sense of timing. Be careful with your words today.
– Dr. Tim Thompson