Do you have a mute button?
Do you know when to be quiet?
Is there a time when silence is needed?
Oh my, those are such important questions!
When I was in second grade, my teacher wrote on my report card,
“Janet must learn she can’t talk ALL the time!”
Contemplate Silence
While I was up in my sanctuary this morning, that subject of the mute button was raised by one of the writers of a devotional. I contemplated the importance of silence.
I was reminded of my mom’s frequent cautionary quote,
“It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool,
than to speak and remove all doubt.”
I’m sure that wasn’t invented by her!
But I attribute it to her.
And it is reinforced when I read in the Bible,
Proverbs 17:28“Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise;
When he closes his lips, he is considered prudent.”
So, I pressed my mute button and sat in God’s presence without a word. Not easy for me… but I am cautioned often to practice the art of holding my tongue. And as I did so, this poem came to me:
Intention
Intention creates reality –
What do I intend to do today?
I set a goal to be loving
In everything I do and say.
Intention creates awareness –
I realize opportunities are near.
I want to do with grateful focus
The work that God has shown me here.
Intention creates commitment –
I’m determined to do His will.
But first I’ll read His Word and listen;
To hear His voice, I must be still.
Shhhh!!
Comments on: "Press Mute!" (15)
Sound advice. Silence is one of the keystones of my profession. One of the finest complements a client gave me when we finished was to say that she had done nothing but cry for two years and I had kept quiet. She had of course exaggerated, but I’m sure you get the picture.
Yes, I get the picture. I bet you were a God-send to many a client!
š Thank you, Jan
<3
Oh Jan, this is so important. We have such a difficult time with silence, and yet it is one of the most important techniques in communication. When I trained hospice bereavement volunteers, one exercise that I always used (among many) was to have folks pair off and face each other. They had to maintain eye contact only, no speaking, no laughing, nothing…for 1 minute. That’s a really short time, but to them it felt like many minutes. It was sooooo difficult for most; rarely was there someone who really “got it”. When I did clinical training and bereavement counseling, it was the most important true listening tool in the toolbox. And if we are always talking or thinking about what to say next, we aren’t listening with our heads and hearts. We are so uncomfortable with silence that we feel the need to fill every moment with words. Not so! Thank you for this critical and important blog!
Thank you for your thoughtful reply, Fran. I had no idea about the various roles youāve played with Hospice, etc. But it doesnāt surprise me! You came across to me as a very sincere listener the very first time I met you. It is indeed a rare and crucial skill. God bless you! Thanks for your visit and warm, affirmative response. I love ā¤ļø you!
Great post Jan!!
Thanks so much, Charlotte!
[…] Press Mute! […]
God bless you! šš½ā¤ļø
Your poem is awesome.
Silence is hard for it requires being…
Just BEE š ing…
It is enriching to see what our thoughts find while experiencing silence. Our mind unlocks something special just like your poem. I am so thankful to see Montana recovering from these past challenging weeks. God’s peace!
Yes, slowly slowly slowly… ease out of this cautiously. We donāt need a relapse.
Hmm. Wisdom – it’s in our stillness that we allow Him to move through and in us. Be still and know that I am God!.