I was mute with silence, I held my peace even from good; and my sorrow was stirred up. My heart was hot within me; while I was musing, the fire burned. Then I spoke with my tongue. (Psalm 39:2-3)

Seeing that we have addressed how important it is to guard our tongue against speaking impulsively, it is just as important to recognize there are times when we should speak out. As Solomon said, “there is a time to keep silent and a time to speak” (Ecclesiastes 3:7). During the time of silence, it is always good to listen, consider and arrive at a wise conclusion before speaking on a matter. This is especially true if the situation has the potential to stir up strong emotions or, as it was with David, cause our hearts to burn hot within us. Whether it was anger or passion building inside, he does not say, but he did not speak until he had thought upon the matter thoroughly.

Now consider this: history tells us that after the deaths of the prophets Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi, there was no direct word from God to Israel for about 400 years. This time period is commonly referred to as the “400 silent years.” In other words for centuries, God did not speak to Israel through His prophets as He had done since bringing them from Egypt under Moses’ leadership. What broke the silence? It was the ministry of John the Baptist, the man who came preaching, “Repent! The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” The point is, after remaining silent for so long, God’s Word to the people of Israel was powerful and to the point — needless to say, it made a huge impact.

What are we to learn from this? Are you old enough to remember the E.F. Hutton advertisements — “When E.F. Hutton speaks, everyone listens.” It is implied that someone who speaks with authority may not speak often but when they do it behooves their listeners to pay attention. Contrast that with someone who speaks incessantly; if they speak too much, their listeners may tend to tune them out. And so the point is, in whatever the situation, pay attention to what is going on around you and listen; contemplate the situation carefully and pray for wisdom from above before speaking. If we can learn to do this consistently, our words — hopefully inspired by Heaven — will carry greater weight and will have a significant impact upon those we wish to influence for the Kingdom of God.

Blessings and Shalom,  

Bill 

Become a Premium Partner

or make a one time gift below.