Proverbs 15:28 says, “The heart of the godly thinks carefully before speaking; the mouth of the wicked overflows with evil words.” The heart of the godly is called to think before we speak. How hard is that when someone says something mean to you, puts you down, or makes you feel bad? Our first instinct is usually to get emotional and fire back. However, this is not what Proverbs says is godly. To be godly is to think carefully before speaking. The pause before speaking—asking yourself, “is what I’m about to say honoring to God?”—can be the difference between escalating a situation, damaging relationships, or making things worse, and responding in a wise and godly way.