Words have power. We all know it’s true. You can’t see them, but that doesn’t matter. They can still carry more force than a tonne of bricks.

Sometimes that force is for good. A wise word, a message of encouragement, and even simply hearing the voice of someone you care about can lift your spirits.

But words can do great damage too. In James 3:8 we learn that the tongue is “a restless evil, full of deadly poison.” Yikes!

In theory, none of us want to inflict deadly poison on someone. In the heat of the moment, however, it’s easy to do.

That’s why I’d like to you think about that split second moment. It’s that small fragment of time right after someone says something to you that you really don’t like, and before you say or do something in reply. 

When we’re not at our best, we react. And we react poorly. We usually regret what we say. Like the toothpaste that can’t be squished back into the tube, those words are out there for good.

That’s why that split second moment is so important.

When it happens, it happens quickly. But the key is to know it’s happening—and to stop.

Pause. Breathe. Think.

Take a bit of time to consider what you’re doing to say or do next.

I can guarantee you that you’ll be glad you did.

In the heat of the moment, pause. Make a thoughtful response instead of a thoughtless reaction.

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Notes:

–Bible quotes are from the NIV.