Rules for arguing

One of today's reading stood out to me because it was one of the rules of arguing that my wife and share on Engaged Encounter weekends. I had known that it was sound advice and certainly not counter to biblical teachings. However, I didn't know that it was in there explicitly in Ephesians 4:26-27, "If you are angry, let it be without sin. The sun must not go down on your wrath; do not give the devil a chance to work on you." With anger being on of the seven deadly sins, and patience being the contrary virtue to counter it, it makes sense that one of the rules for arguing is to not go to bed angry. As we explain with examples from our life, this means you have to settle the argument OR call a truce and patiently resume negotiations at another time, but either way you shouldn't go to bed angry.

This is true for all relationships. There's no point in being angry with anyone, whether you are sleeping with them or not, because of the old saying that if you are angry at someone, you're only hurting yourself. I would think this would be true of any vice you choose over the virtues available to you if they give the devil occasion to work on you.