Daily Devotional For Monday, February 26, 2024

Well, it’s Monday. I hope you had a great weekend in the Lord. Over the last week or so we have been looking at different Proverbs in the Bible and the subjects they address — especially the tongue. Have you ever been around someone who talks all the time. They just never shut up and it is almost hard to get a word in edge wise? The 16^th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, once said this: “Tis better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak up and remove all doubt” (see this link: https://freakonomics.com/2011/05/quotes-uncovered-honest-abe/#:~:text=the following entry:-,“Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than,1931.).

Speaking of Proverbs, there are several for people with this problem of talking too much:

• Proverbs 10:8, “The wise of heart will receive commandments, but a babbling fool will come to ruin” (ESV).
• Proverbs 10:19, “When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent” (ESV).
• Proverbs 17:27-28, “Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding. (28) Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent” (ESV).

Chuck Swindoll writes this about people who talk way too much. It is called verbosity:

“Verbosity is the habit of talking too much while saying too little. People who are verbose usually feel compelled to comment on anything and everything, either because they fear silence or sincerely believe that meaningless talk is better than none at all. So these people fill blessed silence with inane talk. They interrupt without hesitation. They speak first and think later . . . if at all! And for all their talking, they remain hard of hearing. 

A number of years ago I discovered that it’s virtually impossible to learn anything while I’m talking. That’s undoubtedly true of everyone. So, rather than fill a conversational void with needless chatter, use the time you have with others to listen well in order to understand more about them. Ask open-ended questions until you find a topic that excites them. More often than not, the conversation will take a meaningful turn as they describe their field of interest and explain why they find it exciting. As they let you into their world, you have an opportunity to learn and gain insight into a realm of that person’s expertise. When the time has passed, you haven’t merely talked; you’ve connected” (Charles R. Swindoll, Living the Proverbs: Insights for the Daily Grind (p. 92, Kindle Edition).

The Book of James puts it this way in James 1:19-20, “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; (20) for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God” (ESV). My mother said: this is why God gave us ONE mouth and TWO ears. Jesus said it first in Mark 4:24, “And He said to them, `Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you’” (ESV).

Pastor and author John MacArthur writes this:

James gives three important commands for the believer who is willing to receive God’s Word with submissiveness. All three are deceptively simple:

First, we must be quick to hear, that is, be a careful listener, making sure that we pay attention in order to get the message right. James’s appeal is for believers to seize every opportunity to increase their exposure to Scripture, to take advantage of every privileged occasion to read God’s Word or to hear it faithfully preached or taught. The sincere, eager desire for such learning is one of the surest marks of a true child of God. When he is specially blessed, he turns to the Word to find passages of thanksgiving and praise. When he is troubled, he searches for words of comfort, encouragement, and strength. In times of confusion, he searches for words of wisdom and guidance. When he is tempted, he searches out God’s standards of purity and righteousness for power to resist. The Word is the source of deliverance from temptations and trials. It becomes the most welcome friend, not only because of what it delivers us from but also because of what it delivers us to—glorious, intimate, and loving communion with our heavenly Lord.

Second, he believer who willingly receives the Word with submission must be slow to speak. That characteristic is a companion of the first. You cannot listen carefully while you are talking, or even while you are thinking about what to say. Many discussions are fruitless for the simple reason that all parties are paying more attention to what they want to say than to what others are saying.

In this context, therefore, it seems that slow to speak includes the idea of being careful not to be thinking about one’s own thoughts and ideas while someone else is trying to express God’s. We cannot really hear God’s Word when our minds are on our own thoughts. We need to keep silent inside as well as outside.

The primary idea here, however, is that, when the appropriate time to speak does come, what is said should be carefully thought out. When we speak for the Lord, we should have the gravest concern that what we say not only is true but is spoken in a way that both edifies those who hear and honors the Lord in whose behalf we speak. We should pursue every opportunity to read the Word ourselves, to hear it preached and taught, and to discuss it with other believers who love, honor, and seek to obey it. At the same time, we should be cautious, patient, and careful when we have opportunity to preach, teach, or explain it to others. It is doubtless for that reason that James later warns, “Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment” (James 3:1). [This is from John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, “James,” pp. 69-70).

James is primarily concerned that believers receive the Word of God over the words of others. Writing about James 1:19, Chuck Swindoll writes this:

“Jesus’ teaching forms the background of James’s letter. Having just discussed the need to endure through trials of life and overcome temptations to sin (Jas. 1:1–18), he warns that failure to receive the Word of God with a ready heart can lead to disaster (1:19–27).

To receive the Word effectively also includes being “slow to speak” (1:19)—putting a damper on the tongue. That’s the other side to listening well. Keeping our mouths shut makes room for thinking, pondering, meditating, considering—all the elements necessary for true listening (and learning). — Source > Charles R. Swindoll, Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Commentary, “James,” p. 182).

If we are going to be excessive talkers, let’s talk about the Lord and use our tongue to encourage others because we may never know the impact it will have. If we are going to run our mouths, let’s do it for the glory of God and the blessing of others. The problem is we often hear the Word in our heart, but it gets stuck there. Christian pastor and author W.A Tozer writes this:

“So wide is the gulf that separates theory from practice in the church that an inquiring stranger who chances upon both would scarcely dream that there was any relation between them. An intelligent observer of our human scene who heard the Sunday morning sermon and later watched the Sunday afternoon conduct of those who had heard it would conclude that he has been examining two distinct and contrary religions … .

It appears that too many Christians want to enjoy the thrill of feeling right but are not willing to endure the inconvenience of being right. So the divorce between theory and practice becomes permanent in fact, though in word the union is declared to be eternal. Truth sits forsaken and grieves till her professed followers come home for a brief visit, but she sees them depart again when the bills become due” (Source: A. W. Tozer, The Root of the Righteous (Camp Hill, PA: Christian Publications, 1986), 51–53).

Read what good verbosity can do for others:

Sister Helen Mrosia writes:

In an earlier grade, I'd taped Mark's mouth shut for talking too much in class. Now he was one of my students in junior high math. His class had worked hard all week. By Friday the students were getting cranky. So, for a break, I asked them to write the nicest thing they could about each other student and hand it in. I compiled the results for each student and, on Monday, gave out the lists.

Several years later, Mark was killed in Vietnam. After the funeral, most of his former classmates gathered with Mark's parents and me for lunch. Mark's father took a wallet out of his pocket. "They found this on Mark when he was killed," he said. He carefully removed a folded, refolded, and taped paper the one on which I'd listed the good things Mark's classmates had said about him. Charlie smiled sheepishly and said, "I keep my list in my desk drawer.” Chuck's wife said, "Chuck put his in our wedding album.” "I have mine, too," Marilyn said, "in my diary.” Vicky reached into her pocketbook and brought out her frazzled list” (From: John Trent, Choosing to Live the Blessing (Waterbrook, 1997); quoted in Men of Integrity, vol. 4, no. 3).

Here is s story about a woman who was forced not to talk for one month.

Rhea Zakich was forced not to speak for months after her doctor found polyps on her vocal cords. Although they were removed and she made a full recovery, the experience affected her. Unable to speak for that long period, she wrote what she wanted to say on cards. Sometimes when she saw in black and white what she planned to say, she immediately threw it in the trash.

The cards grew into a game (The Ungame) which has since sold 4 million copies. Some cards were light-hearted and some serious. Her husband drew a card that said: "Share something that you fear." He said slowly to the boys, "With your mother ill, I worry what will become of us. I don't know if I could bring up you boys alone." Rhea was astonished that her husband could express his fear and self-doubts.

Through the time of her enforced silence, Rhea learned to really listen to others instead of immediately responding. One day her son, Dean came home from school shouting, “I hate my teacher! I’m never going back to school again!” Rhea said:

Before my vocal-cord problems, I would have responded with my own outburst: “Of course you are, if I have to drag you there myself.” That afternoon I had to wait to see what would happen next. In a few moments, my angry son put his head in my lap and poured out his heart. He said “Oh, Mom, I had to give a report and I mispronounced a word. The teacher corrected me and all the kids laughed. I was so embarrassed.” I wrapped my arms around him. He was quiet for a few minutes. Then suddenly he sprang out of my arms. “I’m supposed to meet Jimmy at his house. Thanks, Mom.”

My silence had made it possible for Dean to confide in me. He didn’t need advice or criticism. He was hurt. He needed someone to listen. We all spend so much time talking ... but never really communicate” (From: Rhea Zakich blog, “Simple Secrets of Family Communication,” RheaZakich.com (Accessed 11-1-20).

Questions To Consider

• Would people say you are a babbler? When you encounter a babbler, how do you feel around them and why? When someone is talking to you, are you already thinking how you will answer them? Why not just listen first?
• Parents often have discussions and arguments with their their children because their children tune them out and do not listen. When it becomes apparent, there are fireworks. Parents will say, “You’re hearing me, but not listening to me.” What is the difference?
• How do you think our heavenly Father feels that we will talk to people all day long and listen to them, but we will not talk and listen to Him? What can we do to change that?
• When you speak, have you carefully thought out what you are going to say ahead of time or do you just go with the flow or let “the spirit” lead you? Why or why not?
• When we are being corrected by a spouse, or boss or parent, we are typically not in a listening mode. Why do you think this is so challenging? How can we get better at this?
• If you were told by a doctor that you could not speak for one month, do you think you would listen more? How could you “speak” intentionally when you needed to do that?
• How do you know that the Word of God is not lodged between your heart and hands in your own life?

Scripture To Meditate On: Proverbs 10:19, “When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent” (ESV).

Prayer To Pray: “Dear Jesus, I have a bad habit. I tend to start thinking and planning ahead what I am going to say when someone is talking to me. At times, I even interrupt them. Jesus, I don’t want to do that. I want to listen completely to them. I want to give people my undivided attention. And Lord, I really want to listen to Your Word. I don’t want my mind wandering when I am reading and attempting to listen to Your Word. Jesus, help me be an intentional and proactive listener to You especially and then to others. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”

I love you! Pastor Kelly