Part of every crucial conversation involves monitoring and controlling our own tendencies toward defensiveness and anger. Although it is natural to want to snap back when someone hurts our feelings, we must learn how to control our anger and choose to listen instead. As Proverbs 14:29 says, “People with understanding control their anger; a hot temper shows great foolishness.” If we want to spread the healing and life of Jesus into our world through the words we say (taming our tongue), it will involve growing our control over how and when we choose to speak.
