Silence is golden and the truth will set you free?
There are 2 old adages which say "Silence is golden" and the other "The truth will set you free". Well, if you know something and you know people are being deceived, do you tell them the truth or do you keep silent? Faith tells me to wait before unveiling someone else's secret for the universe will take care of it. Intuitively, I know this and I know to first remove myself from the humanistic tendency to make a decision or react to a situation based upon my emotion. Once I've done that, it's usually easier to be objective. But ... other times it seems very hard to remain silent.
The old adages which says, "Silence is golden." is it always so? I recently ran across this statement: "Silence is not always golden - sometimes it is just plain yellow!" That really struck me as worthy of further thought.
Certainly "silence is golden" at times. There are times when silence pays rich dividends. Solomon said: "The one who guards his mouth preserves his life; the one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin". (Pro.13:3.) Surely the kind of silence here advised, the control of one's tongue, is "golden" indeed. Peter tells us: "Let him who means to love life and see good days refrain his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking guile."
Silence is certainly "golden" when compared to speaking evil. How wonderfully "golden" the "silence" would be if all whispering, gossip, backbiting, lying, slander and such like could be forever stopped. Perhaps all of us need to give more attention to our speech.
"Silence is golden" also when one is restrained and careful in her speech. There are times when one can say more by being silent. Too many times we may be guilty of saying too much. The multiplicity of words is much in evidence today. No doubt Solomon had reference to such when he wrote: "He who restrains his words has knowledge... [and] even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is counted prudent." (Prov.17:27-28). It must be agreed that there are times when "silence is golden".
There are other times, however, when silence is Not "golden". It may be just plain "yellow" or cowardly in such instances! To remain silent at times when one should speak up is to be guilty of cowardice and results in a failure to do one's duty. It all depends upon the circumstances.
How many times in nearly every field of endeavor has it been true that silence could be traced to cowardice? Even in the service of the Lord this is too many times true. There are times when it is our obligation to speak up and tell the truth. Many times those who should speak out and warn of danger remain silent because they are afraid or fear that they might hurt someone's feelings. Such silence is far from being golden, "it is just plain yellow," and God will hold accountable those who are guilty.
It is the obligation of every Christian, whether a preacher, elder, or "just a member" to "preach the word ... reprove, rebuke and exhort" those who need teaching and correction. We must teach people the truth and condemn sin and error wherever it may be found. The sinner must be warned about the results and end of his wicked ways. Sometimes this is not a pleasant or easy task. At times it will result in trouble and bring opposition to the faithful teacher. No one can please God who remains silent when duty demands that he speak out! Silence is not "golden" in such cases.
There is no place for "fence straddlers," or the compromisers who "halt between two opinions". Individually we have an obligation to help, build up, and encourage one another. Any saint who fails to deal personally with the problems and issues before us is a coward. Moreover, such a person lends strength to the forces of evil, and by failing to oppose such can be counted with the enemies for all practical purposes. Jesus said: "he who is not with me is against me." We have to make a choice, either we are actively for Him or we are passively against Him.
Paul, the apostle, could say, "I am pure from the blood of all men," because he was faithful to his trust of teaching people the truth from God and warning them of all error. He was no coward and never sought to please men in his preaching (Gal.I:6-10).
There are 2 old adages which say "Silence is golden" and the other "The truth will set you free". Well, if you know something and you know people are being deceived, do you tell them the truth or do you keep silent? Faith tells me to wait before unveiling someone else's secret for the universe will take care of it. Intuitively, I know this and I know to first remove myself from the humanistic tendency to make a decision or react to a situation based upon my emotion. Once I've done that, it's usually easier to be objective. But ... other times it seems very hard to remain silent.
The old adages which says, "Silence is golden." is it always so? I recently ran across this statement: "Silence is not always golden - sometimes it is just plain yellow!" That really struck me as worthy of further thought.
Certainly "silence is golden" at times. There are times when silence pays rich dividends. Solomon said: "The one who guards his mouth preserves his life; the one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin". (Pro.13:3.) Surely the kind of silence here advised, the control of one's tongue, is "golden" indeed. Peter tells us: "Let him who means to love life and see good days refrain his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking guile."
Silence is certainly "golden" when compared to speaking evil. How wonderfully "golden" the "silence" would be if all whispering, gossip, backbiting, lying, slander and such like could be forever stopped. Perhaps all of us need to give more attention to our speech.
"Silence is golden" also when one is restrained and careful in her speech. There are times when one can say more by being silent. Too many times we may be guilty of saying too much. The multiplicity of words is much in evidence today. No doubt Solomon had reference to such when he wrote: "He who restrains his words has knowledge... [and] even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is counted prudent." (Prov.17:27-28). It must be agreed that there are times when "silence is golden".
There are other times, however, when silence is Not "golden". It may be just plain "yellow" or cowardly in such instances! To remain silent at times when one should speak up is to be guilty of cowardice and results in a failure to do one's duty. It all depends upon the circumstances.
How many times in nearly every field of endeavor has it been true that silence could be traced to cowardice? Even in the service of the Lord this is too many times true. There are times when it is our obligation to speak up and tell the truth. Many times those who should speak out and warn of danger remain silent because they are afraid or fear that they might hurt someone's feelings. Such silence is far from being golden, "it is just plain yellow," and God will hold accountable those who are guilty.
It is the obligation of every Christian, whether a preacher, elder, or "just a member" to "preach the word ... reprove, rebuke and exhort" those who need teaching and correction. We must teach people the truth and condemn sin and error wherever it may be found. The sinner must be warned about the results and end of his wicked ways. Sometimes this is not a pleasant or easy task. At times it will result in trouble and bring opposition to the faithful teacher. No one can please God who remains silent when duty demands that he speak out! Silence is not "golden" in such cases.
There is no place for "fence straddlers," or the compromisers who "halt between two opinions". Individually we have an obligation to help, build up, and encourage one another. Any saint who fails to deal personally with the problems and issues before us is a coward. Moreover, such a person lends strength to the forces of evil, and by failing to oppose such can be counted with the enemies for all practical purposes. Jesus said: "he who is not with me is against me." We have to make a choice, either we are actively for Him or we are passively against Him.
Paul, the apostle, could say, "I am pure from the blood of all men," because he was faithful to his trust of teaching people the truth from God and warning them of all error. He was no coward and never sought to please men in his preaching (Gal.I:6-10).
He certainly did not think that "silence is golden" when the truth needed to be proclaimed in plain, bold language. He boldly condemned all error wherever and whenever he found it. Remember that silence is not always golden, many times It is just plain yellow.
excerpts taken from http://www.theexaminer.org/volume8/number1/editor.htm
