Porch praying the other day, I started thinking about listening and how I’m not very good at it. You see, I like to talk. You do too. I know that because you’re who I talk to! I always have something to say. After moving me around the room several times for talking, my seventh grade English teacher, Mrs. Watson, told me I was like poison ivy, no matter where she moved me my talking just spread. Hurtful, but true.
What happens when we talk? I don’t know about you, but when I talk I can’t listen. To be honest, rarely when I’m listening am I listening because I’m thinking about the next thing I’m going to talk about. Sorry. Talking is good, it’s how we communicate with each other. But here’s the thing, the majority of the time, talking centers on me. I have so much to say. It’s all very good stuff. I’m so important that people really need to hear what I have to say. I can talk on top of you, over you, around you, and any which way to Sunday. As I’m sure you know. Even in my prayers I tell God I’m going to be silent so that I can hear His Voice. The next thing I know I’m talking, again.
I struggle in a group of talkers. Have you ever been in a talker group? In talker groups the talking starts slowly, building to a dull roar and eventually becomes a shouting match so that talkers can be heard over other talkers. Everyone is talking at once, no one is listening, we’re working on formulating our responses – what we’re going to say next. Interruptions. Talkovers. Frenzy. Chaos. Fun, right?
You see, my lips move at the speed of life. Yep. My life, like yours, is like Superman – faster than a speeding bullet. I have so much to say because I have so much to do. It takes words to orchestrate this life! What’s in my head comes out my lips – most of which just should not. They say “God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason.” This implies that we should talk less than we hear. I don’t know who the “they” is, but, as a talker, I disagree. God gave us two ears because there are so many words that come out of the one mouth, it takes two ears to hear them all! Right? Wrong. Look what I found:
For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool’s voice is known by multitude of words. (KJV)
Just as being busy gives you nightmares, being a fool makes you a blabbermouth. (NLT)
Overwork makes for restless sleep. Overtalk shows you up as a fool. (MSG)
Ecclesiastes 5:3
Being too busy keeps us awake at night and talking way too much. Oh my.
The Psalms, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes are full of the be quiets. Why? Why does the Bible tell us to be quiet, don’t talk? Because, God speaks. You know God speaks, right? If we don’t shut up, we cannot hear Him. Not listening to my Savior implies I know more than He does and that I don’t really need Him. Do I think so highly of myself? Ouch.
Don’t speak impulsively – don’t be in a hurry to give voice to your words before God. For God is in heaven, and you are on earth; so let your words be few. Ecclesiastes 5:1-2
There’s a time to just shut up and there’s a time to talk. Knowing when to talk and when to hold our tongues is a sign of maturity. How mature are we? Another ouch.
The wise are glad to be instructed, but babbling fools fall flat on their faces. Proverbs 10:8
In addition to not hearing God speak, as if that weren’t enough, another reason it’s important to stop talking? People will not listen if we talk all the time. If I yammer on all the time, they’ll soon tune me out. I would.
Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions. Proverbs 18:2
Great. How does this silent thing work? How do I shut up, zip my lip, just stop talking? I must first quiet my heart before I can stop the flow from my lips.
Be silent, and know that I am God! Psalms 46:10
Enough said.