When to Speak
Here is a quote from Winston Churchill, British politician and prime minister of England during World War II. He made the following statement at a conference in Washington, D.C.
“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak;
courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.”
It made me think of similar words, penned by Solomon centuries ago:
“Answer not a fool according to his
folly, lest thou also be like unto him.
Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he
be wise in his own conceit”(Proverbs 26:4-5).
It takes real wisdom from the Lord to know when to speak and when not to speak. Sometimes, the less said the better. Sometimes, nothing said is best. Sometimes we need to speak, but even then Solomon said, “Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few” (Ecclesiastes 5:2).
