“Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.” I admit feeling the irony of waxing eloquent about keeping your mouth shut. If I wrote nothing, you might be tricked into believing that I have more profound thoughts...
“The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.” – Proverbs 16:1 Supposedly, ninety percent of communication is nonverbal. We comprehend nearly all of a person’s meaning through body language and tone. If that is true, it's safe...
“The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.” - Proverbs 15:28 I have a mentor who always knows exactly what to say. Sometimes it’s a word of encouragement. Sometimes it’s a question. Sometimes he challenges me...
“If a wise man has an argument with a fool, the fool only rages and laughs, and there is no quiet.” - Proverbs 29:9 Serious political candidates don’t appear on radio DJ talk shows because of this proverb. Dialogue, and especially debate, trends toward the lowest...
“Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.” - Prov 13:3 Sometimes, the hardest thing in the world is keeping your mouth shut. There can be this sense, like for Jeremiah (Jer 20:9), that the words you hold back are a burning...