1575) If you have never had to restrain a child or a pet when they needed necessary medical care, you don’t know how difficult it is. For me, when I’ve had to take my dogs to get certain medical procedures, I have been asked to help restrain them. My dogs are little guys, dachshunds, but don’t be fooled. A little 18-pound dog is still powerful, especially when scared.

This vision comes to mind when I read Proverbs 17:27. Here we are told that whoever has knowledge uses words with restraint. When I stop to think about this, I realize that keeping myself from adding my “two cents worth” isn’t easy and yet, we’re told to do so.

The good news is, if I can resist saying my snarky comment in the moment, I’m usually good to go because once I think about what my words would communicate, I don’t have too much of a problem leaving my comments unsaid.

Maybe it would be good if our mouths had seatbelts for this very thing.