“The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.” James 3:6
It is rare for a person who is falsely accused to remain silent. Our first response to slander or injustice would likely be to desperately state our case of innocence.
The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John provide details of the trial of Jesus before the Sanhedrin. As prophesied in the Old Testament, when the time came for the Son of God to be crucified for the sins of the world, Christ remained silent before His accusers and did not fight the path laid before Him. Isaiah 53:7 foretold, “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.”
The silence of Jesus was necessary in that moment. Words spoken hastily and thoughtlessly could have deterred the course of history as we know it. Our Savior could have avoided His unjust punishment; while not deserving of His worldly death, He did so willingly because of His love for us.
The Scriptures mention the power of the tongue in over 120 passages; many of which are cautions about using our words wisely:
“The tongue of the wise uses knowledge aright, but the mouth of fools pours out foolishness.” – Proverbs 15:2
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” – Proverbs 18:21
“But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.” – James 3:8
While Jesus chose to remain silent during His trial to fulfill the prophesy of His death, burial, and resurrection, what wisdom can we glean from the silence of our Savior?
Ecclesiastes 5:2 says, “Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart.” When challenging and upsetting situations in life occur, it is tempting to react with our words. In our frustration and anger, we may initially desire to scold whoever committed wrong doing. But words spoken harshly not only can damage intimate relationships, but they can also prevent us from being witnesses to our faith. How often have we regretted the words we have spoken to others during exacting moments? Intentionally choosing silence, taking a step back from intense situations, or requesting a moment to cool down and compose ourselves are ways we can avoid speaking hastily.
Matthew 12:34 declares, “the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” The words we speak are an overflow of the condition of our hearts. If our hearts are hardened, jealous, bitter, or prideful, our mouths will eventually give us away. The Scriptures tell us that we will be held accountable for the words that we speak. Matthew 12:35-36 goes onto say, “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken.” When we set our hearts on things that are pure, true, and righteous, the words we speak to others will be uplifting, virtuous, truthful, and just.
Throughout the Gospels, Jesus was often approached by individuals who wanted His affirmation of their worldly decisions. Instead of lecturing them or berating them, Jesus would simply respond once, often with a parable or a nugget of wisdom, and would not further address the situation. John 4 tells the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman, also known as “the woman at the well.” Jesus offered the woman “living water” (meaning salvation through faith in Him,) to where she would never thirst again. While conversing with her, Jesus lovingly brought to light the realities of her past relationships and her current living situation. Jesus did not hard-press the issue, nor did he continue rebuking her for her choices. He offered the truth once; what the Samaritan woman did with the truth was up to her. Likewise, there will be times in life when we are faced with an opportunity to confront someone about the worldly choices they are making. We would be wise to follow Christ’s example – to respectfully offer the truth one time, and then pray that the individual will follow God’s wisdom.
We live in a loud, noisy, and chaotic world. We often have to actively seek solitude and quiet, as it is not readily available around us. There are seasons when silence is powerful and essential, not only to restrain our words, but also to connect with our Father. In Psalm 46:10, the Lord says, “Be still, and know that I am God.”
As we move forward in our walk, may we strive to cultivate the ability to know when to restrain our words and to seek God through silence.