A person finds joy in giving an apt reply— and how good is a timely word!
(Proverbs 15:23)
How many times do I give my opinion and people don’t listen? So I dig in, study hard, make myself more right, try again, and they still don’t listen.
My conclusion:
1. They don’t like me.
2. They don’t want to hear the truth.
Perhaps one of these is true. But what if there’s a third possibility?
3. My approach and timing are off.
Ouch!
Maybe I need to stop trying so hard to be right and instead improve my timing.
I know few people who have mastered this virtue. Perhaps it takes hard work and focused intentionality. James says the man who resists temptation receives a crown of life. Just as with any other godly discipline, learning to hold my peace until the time is right will yield joy, not drudgery.
Phillip Cohen
