Be quiet.

I have a reputation for talking a lot. While eating supper with my family as a teen, I was asked, “Who are you talking to?”

“Everyone here,” I replied. Needless to say, my dad must of wanted a little peace and quiet because he asked me to stop talking.

There are moments we need to talk. And, there are moments we need to be quiet.

I struggle with being quiet!

We are reminded in Joshua 6:10, “Do not shout; do not even talk,” Joshua commanded. “Not a single word from any of you until I tell you to shout. Then shout!”

God had commanded the Israelites to march around the city of Jericho without a word for a total 12 times over the course of 7 days (if my math is correct)!

We read in Revelation 8:1 that when Jesus broke open the seventh seal of judgment there was silence in heaven for 30 minutes.

In Joshua’s story God was about to bring judgment upon an evil city. And, he was going to reveal his power and judgement in a miraculous way. Such a time demanded reverence and respect.

A time to be quiet and a time to speak (Ecclesiastes 3:7).

It takes godly wisdom to speak biblical truth in love to help someone grow in their faith. It also takes great restraint to control our tongue when we want to talk when we should be quiet. Learning to listen by being quiet is difficult.

Yet, it is necessary.