![]() ![]() ![]() Sharing the gospel displays that we are not ashamed of the cross. The Bible shares an abundance of accounts where Christ’s disciples speak boldly for others and for the Lord, and we are commanded to do the same. And just as the Lord said to Paul in Acts 18:9, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent,” so must we obey the call to evangelize in the proper setting and time. Remember, “just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts” (1 Thessalonians 2:4). When we take a cowardly, quiet backseat to injustice, we are doing more harm than good in our silence.Īdditionally, if fear is keeping us from sharing the gospelwith others, this too is an example of our silence being more detrimental than helpful. But walking with the Lord means we must give justice to the weak and fatherless (Psalm 82:3), correct oppression, utter wisdom (Psalm 37:30), and plead the widow’s cause (Isaiah 1:17). When Is Silence Unhelpful or Harmful?įear, lack of self-confidence, and anxiety can tempt us to keep our mouths shut when we need to boldly speak truth in love. And we know that self-control, a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22), is a discipline that is blessed. Maintaining our composure can be challenging! We are to seek wisdom in controlling our tongue, for when we control it, we are ultimately walking by the Spirit. Ultimately, refraining from speaking in certain situations means we are practicing self-control. In other words, you may be blessed by holding your tongue. Scripture tells us that silence can help us avoid sinning (Proverbs 10:19), gain respect (Proverbs 11:12), and is deemed wise and intelligent (Proverbs 17:28). James 1:19 instructs us: “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.” Similarly, “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit” (1 Peter 3:10). When we are angry, there’s a high likelihood that our words will not be produced by the Holy Spirit. We are forced into self-reflection and obedience in our silence, which will only further our ability to listen to the Spirit. Naturally, when we are not opening our mouths, we are more inclined to open our ears – whether toward others or toward God. To discern the difference between knowing when to speak or be silent, we need to humbly seek the Lord through prayer, immerse ourselves in Scripture, and ask for his wisdom and discernment. Ecclesiastes 3:7 tells us that there is a time to keep silent and a time to speak. The power of our words can be used to build up or tear down. And when we do this, we ultimately disregard Christ’s commandment to love one another.Īs believers, we are put in a position to influence those around us. But what happens when our beliefs and opinions are challenged? We prepare for defense, we prepare for verbal retaliation. Welcome to the new millennium, when we are provided constant opportunities online to voice our opinions and slay any opposition.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |