Proverbs – Sayings of SolomonSample

Holy Restraint

Have you ever had the experience of the Holy Spirit preventing you from saying something that would have been extremely hurtful, destructive, or unwise? If you have, you’ll know that there is great wisdom in thinking before you speak, and sometimes in not speaking at all!

As our Father trains us in his wisdom, we will develop godly discipline in this area. We will learn over time when to speak and when not to speak, what to say and what not to say. In short, we will cultivate holy restraint, remembering that it is sometimes better to listen than to speak.

There are those, according to Proverbs 10:8, who do not position themselves to listen to and learn from correction. They do all the talking so no one can get a word in. Such people are unwise. Their lack of restraint will lead to them stumbling into the mess they’ve created.

There are also those, according to verse 14, who exhibit wisdom by not saying everything, even when it’s their turn to speak. They divulge just enough, while the fool blurts everything out. In this, the wise man or woman shows that they have learned the art of holy restraint.

Thus, one of wisdom’s life lessons in this passage is this: be as brief in your speech as Solomon is in his proverbs. If you go on talking, you’ll end up saying something wrong, something you’ll regret. So prove you’re wise by holding your tongue and saying only what needs to be said.

The Holy Spirit is ever present to help us. Ask him to show you how you can become wiser in how you speak. Write your reflections about what you feel he says to you.