A Good Policy

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath. —James 1:19

I recently read about a a wise policy of President Harry Truman. He would have any letters written in anger sit on his desk for 24 hours before being mailed.  After he “cooled off” if he still felt the same way, he would then send the letter.  At the end of Truman’s life he had a large desk drawer filled with unmailed letters.

Proverbs 15:1 says, “A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.”  It is always a good policy to practice restraint when we are emotionally upset. I hate to think of the times I spoke too quickly when I was angry. We say things we regret later.  We need to take our tongue, or keyboard, “out of gear” and “be swift to hear, SLOW to speak, [and] slow to wrath.”  That would save us from many of embarrassments.

The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace. —James 3:18