Choose Your Words

Those who control their tongue will have a long life; opening your mouth can ruin everything.

From Gabriella’s bedroom window on the second floor, she could hear the neighbor girls gathered outside on the sidewalk. She and her friends had disagreed, and she’d stormed off.

Curious about what they were saying, Gabriella crept closer to the windowsill, careful not to let them see her peering out.

“Gabby’s so bossy today,” Lauren complained. “She thinks she’s in charge.”

Hearing the criticism made Gabriella’s blood boil. Standing up abruptly, she faced the open window. “Shut up, Lauren, you brat!” Gabriella hollered. Her words echoed outside and through the house. Stunned silence greeted the angry shout.

Gabriella’s sister Skylar ran into the room. “What’s going on?”

As Gabriella turned to Skylar, she felt her rage shifting and bubbling over into tears. She felt sick inside over the way she had acted and the mean words she had yelled. Her temper had gotten the best of her, and now she had to face the consequences.

By the time Gabriella got her temper and tears under control, her friends had scattered. Ashamed, she headed to apologize to Lauren, now back at her own house.

Even when our friends accept our apology, we may still regret words said in a moment of anger. Words are powerful. Proverbs reminds us that if we aren’t careful about what we say, the consequences can be long lasting. Words said in the heat of an argument can’t be unsaid and can lead to lasting damage in our friendships. Though anger can make us feel ugly on the inside, we still have the power to say—or not say—hurtful words that match how we feel. Disagreements can often be resolved calmly if we choose our words wisely, and we won’t have to apologize later on for the things we wished we hadn’t said. Rather than using our words to wound a friend, let’s use them to encourage and reassure one another. Those are words we’ll never regret saying.

Things to Think About

• How do you respond when you have a disagreement with a friend or overhear something negative about yourself? Do you choose your words wisely or struggle to not say something harsh in response?
• Have you said something to a friend lately that you need to apologize for?

DAILY ACT OF FRIENDSHIP

The next time you feel angry with a friend, try a breathing exercise to calm you before you speak to your friend.