Today’s reading: Proverbs 29:20
“Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him” (Proverbs 29:20).
Over the years I’ve learned that taking time to pause before responding to someone is a good practice. Practicing this pause is especially important when the conversation involves a disagreement, discipline or giving counsel or advice. A good friend of mine refers to her practice of pausing before responding as “the ten second rule.” I like that name and use it often.
Ten seconds may not sound like much time, but it can literally make or break a situation. Those few seconds where I’m intentional about holding my tongue allows me, first and foremost, to shoot up a prayer to God asking for wisdom. It also allows me to further assess the emotions, demeanor, body language and attitude of the person(s) I’m talking with. I can then gather my thoughts before offering my response.
In what type of situations are you most tempted to be “hasty with your words”? Do you utilize something like the ten second rule? How has holding back and not responding immediately been of benefit to you? Tami
Source: Tami’s Blog
