Silence Speaks Loudly
UBC Devotional for the week of February 5th, 2012
TEXT: Proverbs
17:27-28
27u"He who has knowledge
spares his words, And a man of understanding is of a calm spirit. 28
vEven a fool is
counted wise when he holds his peace; When he shuts his lips, he is
considered perceptive." [1]
The Bible has
much to say about the advisability of saying less. In the New Testament James
warns about the dangers of the tongue. I suppose one of the chief problems in all our churches is the abundance of ill speaking-
in other words "gossip". But the advice given here in these two verses in Proverbs actually goes further than the reduction
of gossip.
I have noticed
that in a group of people usually the person that rattles on and on gets the reputation of a foolish person. And on the other
hand a person of few words gives the impression of someone with wisdom. My late Brother in Law was an
example of appearing to be wise. I actually think he was a wise person and it became evident that his few words were usually
very insightful. But even if his
advice were not wise, he did appear to be wise because he kept his own council
about most things. In verse 28 above, Solomon observed that even a fool can be thought of as wise when
he speaks few words.
Notice that in verse
27 keeping ones words few it a result of knowledge. I don't think that
means knowledge like "book learning" but an innate knowledge of human kind. I have known a few men who, while not educated
appeared wise in their understanding because they were men of few words. I think these statements here
in Proverbs should help us to reign in a loose tongue. Those who rush to judgment and fill the air with their opinions are
usually wrong. First
impressions do count in human interactions.
Do we want to be
regarded as wise? Then while guarding what we say and how much we say may not
make us wise, it can sure help others think we are. And it can spare us some embarrassment when our opinion proves to be wrong.
It also could cut down on a
lot of gossip and conflict in our churches. Sometimes gab sessions can be like a stormy sea, and the remedy can be the words
of Jesus when He was confronted
with a stormy sea: "Peace, be still"!
There is another Proverb that warns of danger when many words are gushed forth:
19 "In the
multitude of words sin is not lacking,
"But
he who restrains his lips is wise."(Proverbs
10:19)
So there is danger in an avalanche
of word, God warns that there will be sin present when we are blabbermouths.
Joe Forbus 02-02-12
