Let your words be few

For those of you who know me personally, you know I like to talk.  I like debates, public speaking, teaching, and about anything else that requires me to make a presentation.  I'm usually not shy about initiating conversations.

On this particular day, I happened to be in court with a friend.  We were waiting for our time to go before the judge.  I was trying to explain how the process worked when the baliff walked in and gave last minute instructions including "do not talk" when court begins.

It was a full room and I've been there before...everyone always talks!  When it gets too loud, baliff yells our "order" and there is silence again.  As time went on, people went before the judge and were asked questions and given instructions.  I found it easy to turn to my friend and tell her something when I heard "If I see ya'll talking one more time, I'm gonna hold you in contempt!" I looked up to see the judge glaring at me.  I still had to ask [in my mind of course] "You talking to me?"  Fortunately for me, I recognize the authority of a court and you'd better believe I did not say another word!

Of course my friend and I got a good laugh and it made for a good story.

So many times that's how we approach God.  We approach him with our wish list or problem solving solutions or just general griping when he has asked us to be still and know that He is God [Psalms 46:10]. We know what he says and we've read the instructions but sometimes we think that He must not know what I am going through or how to fix it and we just want to tell him.

I am wondering how many times God would tell me that He was "holding me in contempt" because I just don't shut up.  I just want to reinforce my need or my pain or my desire. 

If you think about it, when the judge is talking and I am talking in the background, someone is going to miss something.  So it is with us.  When we are talking and not allowing God to speak to us, we will miss something.  It might be something important. 

As for me, I learned my lesson.  I will approach a court room with a new respect.  I will also guard my steps when I go to the house of God and I will go to listen.  The only way I can do that is to let my words be few!

Guard your steps when you go to the house of God.  Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.  Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God.  God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.  Ecclesiastes 5:1-3