He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction. Proverbs 13:3.

It is wise to refrain from always having the last word. Quietness will always stop an argument. People will not argue with themselves.

Some people think that if they don’t talk back, they are weak or scary, not realizing that restraining their tongue so they don’t always have the last word is strength. Strength does not come by how loud you can talk or how you can get somone told. Wise people know when to speak and when to shut up.

Many marriages have been saved because someone knew when to keep quiet. They knew the right time to confront the matter when they were not angry, giving them time to choose the right words not to offend, but to get the matter resolved in a peaceful way.

The Bible states, “ A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous [harsh] words stir up anger – Proverbs 15:1. A disagreement will never be resolved with two angry people. Children have been separated from their parents because neither child nor parent knew when to keep quiet. Satan does not want relationships between spouses, children and their parents, friends, or co-workers. It is his job to create havoc.

If we live our lives according to Biblical principles, we will live a long life without remembering what I said, what they said; could it have been handled differently? People have lost their lives because they didn’t have the wisdom to stop talking. Wisdom is always better than strength.

Wisdom is better than wealth or power. Natural wisdom is the ability a person develops through experience, learning, observation, reasoning, and good judgement. If you’re talking to a foolish person, you have the wisdom to know you’re not going anywhere with the person. Turn the conversation around to de-escalate words that may be spoken and can’t be retrieved once said.

The loudest voices are rarely the wisest. When we understand, we no longer have to fight with words, but to be quiet, pray about the matter, and allow God to direct your mouth and your actions.