Silence is Golden

Do you remember that saying, from your childhood days? I don’t hear it so much, or ever, now that I’m an adult.

With social media, text messaging, email, etc.. We tend to say/read/respond to others almost instantly, without a thought. I’m guilty of this.

I’m guilty of not considering that in a moment of annoyance that my response may be biting, or worse – even if not intentionally. Not really thinking that a slight bit of sarcasm can be hurtful.

“Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.” James‬ ‭3:5-8‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Consider this, our thumbs with which we text, our fingers with which we type, are all extensions of our tongues. They share words with others that can either uplift or tear down.

If no one, save God, can tame the tongue – that is to say our words, shouldn’t we – I take pause before responding orally or electronically? Take pause and pray about what to say. Perhaps say nothing at all.

Silence is golden, after all…

This is not to devalue the worth of kind, loving, uplifting communication. There has been so much of that going around! In times like these (physical distancing) I am especially grateful for the family and friends that God has afforded me.