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SILENCE
The opposite of silence is noise. We have too much noise in our society today. That's why I recommend this book: Noise: How Our Media-saturated Culture Dominates Lives and Dismantles Families. That's the sorry reality we have chosen for ourselves and our children.
What is silence?
In a general sense, stillness, or entire absence of sound or noise; habitual taciturnity; calmness; quiet; cessation of rage, agitatin or tumult. In 1910 doctor and scientist Robert Koch predicted: “One day man will fight noise just as relentlessly as we fight cholera and the plague today.“ Today scientists tell us: Noise is detrimental to health in several respects, for example, hearing impairment, sleep disturbance, cardiovascular effects, psychophysiologic effects, psychiatric symptoms, and fetal development. Furthermore, noise has widespread psychosocial effects including noise annoyance, reduced performance, and increased aggressive behavior.
One of the problems of today's is the distraction caused by stimulus satiation and esp. media saturation. People are simply bombarded with too many impulses too often. It completely numbs and dumbs them down.
In a radio interview people were asked about their favorite places. Several people answered that their favorite place is in the woods. There they can take a walk and enjoy the sound of nature and the abscense of man-made noise.
It is noteworthy that the Bible always fosters a healthy balance of silence. The saying goes: Speech is silver, silence is golden.
If you study the book of Proverbs you will immediatly notice the comparisons between a wise and the foolish person. Often you will find the foolish person to be noise and constantly speaking, whereas the wise person is able to bridle his tongue and to keep silence.
He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips. Proverbs 20:19
The apostle Paul makes a “quiet and peacable life in all godliness and honesty“ (2. Tim. 2:2) the goal of our prayers. Even in our worship there needs to be a healthy balance between “making a joyful noise unto the Lord“ (Ps. 100:1) and to “be still, and know that I am God“. The challenge is that our noise in worship is truly joyful. I have seen a lot of noise among Christians that was not “joyful“ but rahter motivated by pride, arrogancy and contention. If we could summarize the whole counsel o the Bible, we simply say: Don't be a loudmouth. Let me give you some scripture:
Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas ... Acts 15:12. Be a listener. Do not interrupt when someone is speaking.
And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. Lk. 11:1. The disciples had enough respect to let Jesus finish praying and they did not talk to him until he ceased praying. When someone is praying, reading, studying etc. do not interrupt, do not interfere, do not start noisy activities. That is rude.
As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart.
Proverbs 25:20
He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him. Proverbs 27:14
Even in the great classics of Christian literature we find how the virtue of silence is extolled:
In the Rule of St. Benedict, a book that greatly shaped western civilization and its work ethic, we read the following:
Of Silence
Let us do what the Prophet saith: "I said, I will take heed of my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I have set a guard to my mouth, I was dumb, and was humbled, and kept silence even from good things" (Ps 38[39]:2-3). Here the prophet showeth that, if at times we ought to refrain from useful speech for the sake of silence, how much more ought we to abstain from evil words on account of the punishment due to sin.
Therefore, because of the importance of silence, let permission to speak be seldom given to perfect disciples even for good and holy and edifying discourse, for it is written: "In much talk thou shalt not escape sin" (Prov 10:19). And elsewhere: "Death and life are in the power of the tongue" (Prov 18:21). For it belongeth to the master to speak and to teach; it becometh the disciple to be silent and to listen. If, therefore, anything must be asked of the Superior, let it be asked with all humility and respectful submission. But coarse jests, and idle words or speech provoking laughter, we condemn everywhere to eternal exclusion; and for such speech we do not permit the disciple to open his lips.
In the great classic Imitation of Christ by Thomas A. Kempis we read this:
Of the danger of superfluity of words
Avoid as far as thou canst the tumult of men; for talk concerning worldly things, though it be innocently undertaken, is a hindrance, so quickly are we led captive and defiled by vanity. Many a time I wish that I had held my peace, and had not gone amongst men. But why do we talk and gossip so continually, seeing that we so rarely resume our silence without some hurt done to our conscience? We like talking so much because we hope by our conversations to gain some mutual comfort, and because we seek to refresh our wearied spirits by variety of thoughts. And we very willingly talk and think of those things which we love or desire, or else of those which we most dislike.
2. But alas! it is often to no purpose and in vain. For this outward consolation is no small hindrance to the inner comfort which cometh from God. Therefore must we watch and pray that time pass not idly away. If it be right and desirable for thee to speak, speak things which are to edification. Evil custom and neglect of our real profit tend much to make us heedless of watching over our lips. Nevertheless, devout conversation on spiritual things helpeth not a little to spiritual progress, most of all where those of kindred mind and spirit find their ground of fellowship in God.
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