Truth without the Extra Sting
Written for Bible Journey Plan. Our editorial standards.
The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.
Proverbs 15:2 KJV
Being right about a fact does not make every way of stating it helpful. A correction can arrive with an unnecessary reminder of past failures, a superior tone, or a small insult attached. The information is accurate while the conduct is wrong.
Use knowledge in service of the person and the problem. Explain the detail that matters. Leave out the flourish intended to show that you were the more capable one all along. Marriage is poorly served by turning each mistake into a competition for credibility.
When receiving correction, separate the useful truth from the discomfort of being corrected. Admit what is accurate and address an unkind manner calmly when needed. Neither person benefits from making a simple factual matter carry the weight of every previous disagreement.
Christ calls His people to speak truth in a life shaped by grace. That includes the ordinary corrections of shared life: directions, dates, costs, and household tasks. A wise tongue makes knowledge useful. You can solve the practical problem without requiring your spouse to absorb an extra sting as the price of learning what was wrong.
Keep the passage in context
The proverb praises the wise use of knowledge and contrasts it with the careless speech of fools. Possessing correct information does not excuse an unwise manner of sharing it.
Read further: Proverbs 15 in the King James Bible.