I remember once when I had been given a traffic citation for exceeding the speed limit. Although I was just traveling along with the steady flow of traffic, I was still guilty of breaking the law. I pulled my car over when the flashing blue lights approached and immediately began to think of my defense. The conversation went something like this:
Police officer: "Is there a reason why you were doing 73 in a 55 mph zone?"
Me: "I wasn't. I saw my speedometer when you passed and I was only doing about 65."
P.O.: "That's not what my radar indicated."
Me: "Is there a chance you were wrong?"
P.O.: (In short) "No."
The officer returned to his patrol car and I waited for the results of our conversation. When he returned to my car after our initial dialogue, the citation marked that I was traveling 74 mph when he observed, scanned, and cited me exceeding the speed limit. Although I'm quite sure that information was incorrect, my attitude was not helpful in my defense. If I had been quick to hear and slow to speak, perhaps the outcome would have been different; however, in anger I quickly responded and was the one to pay for it in the end.
Spontaneity is not always a bad thing, but there have been many times when it gets people into trouble. Sometimes not thinking something through can result in poor communication - which may result in appearing careless, insensitive, and downright mean! When this happens we can quickly become the ones who are the fool. The Bible says, "Do you see a man who is hasty in words? There is more hope for a fool than for him" (Proverbs 29:20), and, "A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul" (Proverbs 18:7).
There are greater consequences to speaking hastily than simply looking like a fool, for sometimes the cost is great. This is why the Bible says, "Even when a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is considered prudent" (Proverbs 17:28).
The righteousness of God is a gentle spirit and self-control. You might say that wisdom is knowing when to shut-up instead of speak-up.
1 comments:
Ha, Mike! What I most often "hear" from God is "Be still!" though through my human filters it feels more like "Shut UP!" The things I do when I hear "Do it now," are the things in my life for which I carry no shame or regret. And to clarify, I don't really "hear." It's a solid knowing, without doubt. That's how I tell the difference between my will and His, when I can SHUT UP.
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