Proverbs 26
17 Like one who seizes a dog by the ears is a passer-by who meddles in a quarrel not his own.
20 Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down.
My mother used to always say, "No se mete entre maridos," don't get into married people's business. Wisdom discerns when we should speak and when we should remain silent. We desire to be helpful and to resolve conflict, but we can do more harm than good when we step into an argument uninvited. Even when invited, we need to be cautious before we jump in; we must ask, "Is this something that God wants me to get involved in? Will my voice bring reconciliation, or will it spread the conflict like wildfire?”
Knowing when it would be beneficial to speak or not is tricky. Proverbs 26:4-5 says, "Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will be like him yourself. Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes."
What have you learned about when to speak and when not to speak?
I'm often told that I have the gift of diplomacy...which usually means that I don't say what I really feel at the moment I'm feeling it. I sometimes kick myself for it--when I feel that my diplomatic message didn't get through to someone as well a blunt message would have.
ReplyDeleteI often wait--at least overnight--on sending an e-mail or making a phone call or submitting a response to someone to reevaluate and make sure that what I'm about to say is what I really want to express.
That's my two cents.