Eloquent Silence

Eloquent Silence

In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise.
Proverbs 10:19

Recommended Reading
1 Peter 3:8-12
The nineteenth-century French playwright, Victor Hugo, once wrote, "Tomorrow, if all literature was to be destroyed and it was left to me to retain one work only, I should save Job." Writers love Job's literary beauty, but the average reader, after just a few of the book's 42 chapters, begins to wonder if the speakers were being paid by the word. Eloquent as they may be, their words go on forever.

It is not until Job encounters God Himself that light begins to invade Job's dark confusion. And therein lies an illustration of Proverbs 10:19 (generally, the fewer words spoken, the better) and James 1:19 (be swift to listen, slow to speak). Man's wisdom is limited. There is only so much we can say about life's mysteries before we begin, at best, to repeat ourselves, and, at worst, to speculate--both of which Job's friends (and Job himself) were guilty. But when we accompany the suffering to God's throne of grace, there is where new light can be found (Hebrews 4:16).

When ministering to the suffering, Job's friends' first act may be our best: sitting silently and empathetically as the Spirit of God in us reaches out to a hurting heart.

Eloquent silence often is better than eloquent speech.
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