8-24-2022
A number of years ago, several leaders of a small business were in a meeting when the conversation took a rather tense turn, to the point of becoming more than a little heated. One of the men in the meeting – the president of the company – called a time out and said, “Excuse me, I’ll be right back.” He then left the room and left everyone there waiting.
A few minutes later he returned, saying “I didn’t like where this was going, and I didn’t want to say something I would regret. So I decided a little break might do us good.” They were then able to continue the discussion on a softer level, ultimately coming to a resolution. The moment of silence worked wonders.
Israel’s King Solomon said, “When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.” (Proverbs 10:19)
With school resuming, vacations winding down and so many other elements at play right now, there’s plenty of stress to go around. That can lead to some heated discussions sometimes. There’s a time to talk things out; we all know that. But there’s also a time to put our words on hold and take a breath before saying something we wish we hadn’t.
When you’re tempted to go on and on and on about something, (especially when you know you’re right) try this instead: Take a break from talking about it. Put your words on hold. See what a little silence can do.