My life has been full of words, from being in scripture in at least hearing it regularly, in books, and thinking. Therefore words tend to spill out of me easily, sometimes too easily.
Lately valuing silence more (or really at all) means I tend to be more silent. Less words. The goal is not to diminish and belittle the importance of words. After all we’re given a Book which claims to be more than just human words. But also and at its heart the word of God.
The goal is to realize the goal stated in the Book: to know God better, to be in closer communion with God and with those in Jesus, as well as to share this love with all people.
I have to say this is a bit of a shock for me. Words tumbling out in their season are good, but words are symbols pointing us to a reality. God accommodates himself to us his creation, albeit made in his image as human beings, with words and translated into potentially all the languages of earth, each faithful translation of scripture being the word of God.
But his final Word to us is a person, Jesus. All the words of scripture point us to this final Word. And through Jesus, all is made right and new in the end, beginning now. At the heart of this salvation is reconciliation. And it means relationship with God and with others through Jesus which means communion as friends no less. Love at the heart of this, the love of God through Jesus.
So I will go on in this new trek for me. An adjustment that in some ways I don’t like. But I’m well enough convinced that it is a needed one.
Ted M. Gossard
i think that the goal is quite the opposite of what you stated. silence doesn’t diminish the power and importance of words, it does exactly the opposite. when someone talks incessantly, or at least without any forethought, the message can be lost for the sake of the words or simply the sound of their voice. still being in college, i deal with this quite a bit with students who speak before they’ve thought through what they’re going to say and editing their thoughts to make their point.
i would love to be the person that everyone stops talking and starts listening when i open my mouth. i’m not entirely sure that’s my personality, though. i am quite the talker, but lately, i’ve started making sure that what i’m saying is worth saying and if i deem it not worth saying, i don’t say it. i’m certainly not perfect at it, but i’m MUCH better. praise God for His work in me!
Cari, Thanks! I didn’t at all mean to say that the importance of words should be diminished, not at all! In fact God gave us words in his word no less. But I do believe purposeful silence in God’s presence can give more weight to our words when we speak. So that like Job of old, and preeminently our Lord, people will want to hear what is said.
This is a goal I revisit again and again. I love doing stuff!
But I love slowing too.
Now, you’ve also reminded me… I forgot to do a post on solace for tomorrow (off I go… quickly!
Thanks, L.L. I so much look forward to your book. It is next- finally- on my list. But hearing from you on this helps assure me that I’m on the right track.
Look forward to that post on solace!
[...] his post “the goal of slowing down (in my case),” Ted said that his life has been full of words, that they spill out of him [...]