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Dripping Springs Weekly Bulletins
Silence: Golden? or Just Plain Yellow?
Solomon said, “Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace, When he shuts his lips he is considered perceptive,” Proverbs 17:28.
James 1:19 says we should be “swift to hear, slow to speak.” In the course of everyday activities, we must decide when to speak and not to speak. That decision can be a significant one, for there is a time to speak, and a time to be silent.
SOME SPEECH IS FORBIDDEN
- Liars will have their place “in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone,” Revelation 21:8. When a person’s words are not true, not reliable, they cannot be respected by anyone. Truth, even when it hurts, will always be best. The liar should “shut his lips.”
- Talebearers, or gossips will never bring about ultimate good. Their tales may include some truth, but 1 Timothy 5:13 says such people “speak things they ought not.” It’s usually idle “busybodies” who go from person to person and place to place speaking when they should be silent. Perhaps they just need to find something worthwhile to do.
- Slander is defined as “false, malicious, defamatory statements.” There always seem to be some who try to elevate themselves by putting others down. James wrote, “do not speak evil of one another,” 4:11. Silence is far better than slander.
- Warning about False teachers by Jesus is found in Matthew 7:15: “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” Not only must we beware of them, but we must not encourage them, and we must not be one of them. Read 2 John 1:9-11. Yes, some words or forms of speech should never be uttered.
SILENCE IS OFTEN WISE
When we have been hurt, insulted or offended, silence may be our best response. Silence is better than retaliation and more effective than vengeance. The Bible says: “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord,” Romans 12:19.
While anger is often appropriate, angry words may not be. Even God’s truth, spoken with rancor or an ugly attitude, is rarely effective, Galatians 6:1-2, 1 Timothy 2:24-26. “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man,” Colossians 4:6.
SOMETIMES SILENCE IS SIN
There are times when some words must be spoken. At such times silence is not “golden,” but is in fact cowardly.
- Warning: When God demands that we speak, our refusal to speak is rebellion. That is what Jonah did, and here is what Ezekiel was told: “When I say unto the wicked, you shall surely die; and you give him no warning…the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at your hand,” Ezekiel 3:17-18.
Even our secular world recognizes the necessity to warn others of danger. Paul wrote that the “terror of the Lord” should be a powerful motive for us to “persuade men,” 2 Corinthians 5:11. To be silent when a warning is needed is sin.
- Take Gospel to Lost: When Jesus gave His Great Commission, would the apostles have been right in refusing to evangelize the world? Some—but not all of a Christian’s obligation—is fulfilled by sending missionaries into the field. Jesus did not say, “Hire someone to go in your place,” but “Go ye into all the world,” Mark 16:15-16. We all have opportunities to speak to neighbors or friends. Silence is refusing to do God’s will. Then, silence is sin.
- Restore the Fallen: Our friend may not realize the seriousness of his sin, but we love him and must tell him. In Galatians 6:1 we read: “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.”
What if that erring Christian were your son or daughter, friend or neighbor, would you not hope some kind soul would try to “restore” them? Don’t be silent to the lost.
- Encourage Those Who Are hurting: Note the words of Paul: “I have shown you in every way, how that laboring like this you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive,” Acts 20:35.
To the Thessalonians, the Holy Spirit gave similar responsibilities. We all can speak words of kindness and hope. So—don’t be silent!
One kind of speech is forbidden, while another is required—both are equally significant. Edward Richards wrote the following:
A wise old owl sat on an oak,
The more he saw the less he spoke;
The less he spoke the more he heard;
Why aren’t we like that wise old bird?
That is where wisdom comes into the equation. Solomon said: “There is a time to speak and a time to keep silence,” Ecclesiastes 3:7.
Think about it this way: Courage is saying the right thing. Kindness is saying the right thing in the right way. Wisdom is knowing how and when to say the right thing.
Silence—sometimes it’s golden, but often it’s just plain yellow.
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“The first step in acquiring wisdom is silence, the second listening, the third memory, the fourth practice, the fifth teaching others.”
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A Cheerful Heart Makes a Good Healing
Proverbs 17:22 in the King James Version says, “A Merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.” The word translated “medicine” (gehah) probably means “healing.” This verse could be accurately translated, “A cheerful heart maketh a good healing.”
So many people today could greatly benefit from a cheerful heart. According to the National Institute of Health, major depression is the leading cause of disability in the United States. It reportedly affects 10% of the population and 19 million Americans a year. Depression can affect all aspects of a person’s life. It affects how we sleep, eat, work, and get along with others. It affects our self-esteem, self-confidence and our motivation and interest in activities. A physician once said, “The most deadly disease that medicine cannot reach is boredom or depression.” It is easy to see why a cheerful heart, on the other hand, would promote healing and health.
God clearly wants what is best for us and instructs us to “Rejoice evermore,” (I Thessalonians 5:16). This may seem like an impossible task at times, with everything that is going on in the world as well as the stress and sorrow that may be occurring in our lives. However, we must remember that Paul, who penned the words “Rejoice evermore,” suffered many hardships. He was shipwrecked, stoned, beaten on many occasions, and imprisoned (2 Corinthians 11:24-28). He was willing to count all things but loss so that he could win Christ (Philippians 4:11). Paul was able to be content and even rejoice because his focus was not on the temporal but the eternal (2 Corinthians 4:18).
We too can rejoice today despite hardships we may be facing, by looking forward to that great day when Jesus will descend from heaven and take us with Him to live forever (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18). Only by focusing on the eternal will we be able to “rejoice evermore” and be as healthy as we can be, both mentally and physically.
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