Proverbs 29:11

A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back.

Anger. Temper. Rage. Don’t we all struggle with this? How do you defeat it? Proverbs 29:11 says that “fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end.” So, the goal is to be wise, right? And yet we fail so often.

So how do we hold our anger in? Let it churn and burn inside of us? Is this the teaching in Proverbs? Yes and no. Ever heard the saying, “Better to let someone think you are stupid than to open your mouth and prove it”? Perhaps this proverb suggests the wisdom of listening, being patient, counting to ten, or simply waiting to express your anger. This allows the wise man to respond instead of react. And don’t forget what it says about “fools”. Is your habit to fly off the handle, or to be calm for a while, to discern if your anger is justified, or even necessary? Be wise.