Why Be Quiet?

Today my message is entitled “Why Be Quiet?”

This past week, as I worked on this message, brought on a whole bunch of lessons for me from God. I have had to rethink several ways I have behaved and was made to look at why I should be quiet more often. As a Pastor and consultant, it is very easy to talk to much and not listen as well as I should. God has reminded me of the need to be quiet.

In doing the preparation for this message, God made it clear that there are still parts of my life that need work and I need to give them completely over to Him. This was the same situation when Jesus had come to earth to teach the apostle’s and after Pentecost, the apostles taught the churches. Being reminded to live like Jesus is important for growth. So thank you for the reminders this week.

Paul, Silas and Timothy sent a letter to the church of the Thessalonians to encourage and give guidance on behavior. The first part to look at is:

1 Thess. 4: 11-12 NIV
11 Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you,
12 so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.

These two verses have several great thoughts to consider. Today, I am looking at the first one “Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life.”

Proverbs 17: 1 NIV
Better a dry crust with peace and quiet
Than a house full of feasting, with strife.

Phil Calloway, in his book “Who Put My Life on Fast-Forward?” has a chapter called ‘The Kingdom of Noise’. In this chapter he quotes several authors which I would like to re-quote here today.

Mark Twain said, “Noise proves nothing. Often a hen who has merely laid an egg cackles as if she had laid an asteroid.” (pg. 46)

Richard Foster, the author of Freedom of Simplicity, said, “Our Adversary majors in three things, noise, hurry and crowds. If he can keep us engaged in ‘muchness’ and ‘manyness,’ he will rest satisfied.” (pgs. 47,48)

Phil’s comment on this is, “All of us seem to be affected by an addiction to noise. But perhaps we are losing something even more valuable than our hearing. It is our ability to listen. To quietly contemplate. To be still and think deeply.” (pg. 47)

I was made aware this week that I was falling into the trap of being too busy to listen properly. It is always hard to see and understand where you have slipped in your behavior until it is shown to you.

It makes you take a hard look at where it all starts and what to do to get back on track. It starts with our attitude towards God. God gives us guidance on this need to be quiet and listen.

Psalm 46: 10 NIV
10 “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”

We have to take time to listen and be still with God before we can do the same for our family and others.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in “Life Together,” states:
“The first service that one owes to others in the fellowship consists in listening to them. Just as love to God begins with listening to His Word, so the beginning of love for the brethren is learning to listen to them. It is God’s love for us that He not only gives us His Word but also lends us His ear.” (pg. 97)

Ken Gire, in his book “At Peace in the Storm,” ponders this idea of slowing down to listen: “I wonder what a slowing down of our lives together, in community and in families, would do to improve relationships and our individual well-being. Our fast-forward world of technology is marvelous for many reasons, but I am not sure it is bringing with it much genuine peace.” (pg. 38)

He continues a little later: “Put aside the laptop, smartphone, spreadsheet, or to-do list, and look deeply into the eyes of the people you love; say a prayer of blessing and gratitude, eat a meal in a beautiful setting, raise a glass and toast this brief, beautiful life while you have the gift of breath to do so.” (pg.88)

Going back to the source of wisdom and strength, we look at God’s directions that we find in;

Isaiah 30: 15 NIV
15 This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says:
“In repentance and rest is your salvation,
in quietness and trust is your strength,
but you would have none of it.

We need to go to God repentant and seeking rest. We need to be quiet before God and trust His Word for strength. What encouraging words to assist in ‘getting back on the bus’, so to speak.

1 Timothy 2: 1-6 NIV
1 I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—
2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.
(Nero was at the time ruler of the Roman Empire, under whom Paul had been imprisoned and was soon to be executed. This shows that prayers and intercessions should be made for bad rulers as well as good.) Pg. 633 Haley’s Handbook)

3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior,
4 who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
6 who gave himself as a ransom for all men – the testimony given in its proper time.

“Why Be Quiet?” Because God tells us too so that we can be more effective in reaching the world with the message of Jesus Christ. It also brings rest, strength and closeness to God. I have been reminded to “be quiet”, how about you?