When we find ourselves caught up in a heated moment, it’s amazing how many words flow from our churned-up emotions. The trouble is, these words often express the emotions we feel from our flesh nature, and not our spirit-man – resulting in much-needed damage control.
Unfortunately, once a word has been released into the atmosphere, an apology doesn’t really erase its memory, and the damage is already done. That’s why the Word of God describes a person who has learnt to hold their tongue and not react out of impulse as wise. And when a wise person does offer their opinion, it’s usually after they’ve applied thought to the overall situation, so their words are filled with a calm understanding, not an irrational, emotionally triggered reaction to an isolated incident or comment.
The only way this is possible is when we allow the truth of God’s word, that we put in our hearts and minds, to influence the way we think and speak. You can read and agree with the Word of God until your mind is overflowing with its truth – but if you don’t yield to the Holy Spirit and allow that truth to mould your character and influence the words that come out of your mouth – your diligence is futile. True wisdom is allowing the Holy Spirit to produce evidence of the Word being at work in us – through what we say and how we act when the heat is turned up.