She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.
(Prov. 31:26)
Notice that when the virtuous woman said something, it was wise and kind. She didn't "eat the bread of idleness," meaning gossip, discontent and self-pity.

Before a woman can succeed in any relationship, she must understand her value.

You must be careful to set a barrier around yourself so idleness doesn't eat up your time. When you waste time on gossip, discontentment and self-pity, you become easily frustrated and stressed out.

Women with a purpose choose to participate in productive and encouraging conversations.

That's why it's so important to temper your emotions and not allow them to get out of hand. Emotions such as unchecked anger or depression can cause you to open your mouth and speak negatively about someone or something.

Do yourself a favor and watch the women and the men you associate with. Does the talk between you encourage godliness? If you're not sure who would be a good friend, then listen to the words the person speaks.

Remember that whatever they say is coming from what has been stored in their hearts. What kind of influence do they have in your life? Is it one of hope, restoration and forgiveness, or division, control and ungodliness? How does this person cause you to view yourself?

Proverbs 13:20 promises us that if we fellowship with wise people, we will be wise; but if we keep close relationships with foolish people, we will be destroyed.

One translation says we will "smart" from it. In other words, that friendship will come back to bite you! It's like the old saying, "Tell me who your friends are, and I'll tell you who you are." Simply put, bad company can corrupt even the most moral people, if they are not careful.

Your relationship with your man might be damaged right now because you've listened to the gossip of other women. Listening to them talk about what they would or would not put up with has caused hardship between you and your man. You might not have taken into account that some of them have been divorced three times and don't have a husband right now, or they've only ever had a string of failed relationships.

Take a look at their personal lives. They may be living ungodly lifestyles, so why are you listening to their advice? They are causing problems for you and your household simply because misery loves company!

The Word says that kindness is on the tongue of the godly woman. That's a fruit of the Spirit. Be slow to speak and quick to hear. Practice temperance and self-control. When you do speak, allow those fruits to be on your tongue.

A lady should be wise enough to know what to say and when and how to say it. The more of God that you allow to grow on the inside of you, the more He will help you to control those areas where you have been challenged in the past.

Source: The Successful Family
by Dr. Creflo A. Dollar and Taffi L. Dollar
Excerpt permission granted by Creflo Dollar Ministries