Eloquent Silence

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

Proverbs 10:19

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 the literary beauty of the book of Job, but the average reader, after just a few of its forty-two chapters, begins to wonder if the speakers were being paid by the word. Eloquent as they may be, their words seem to go on forever.

It is not until Job encounters God Himself that light begins to invade his 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. A human’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—mistakes that Job’s friends (and Job himself) were guilty of. But when we accompany those who are suffering to God’s throne of grace, it is there that new light can be found (Hebrews 4:16).

When ministering to the suffering, sitting silently and empathetically allows the Spirit of God in us to reach out to a hurting heart.

Eloquent silence often is better than eloquent speech.

ANONYMOUS