I. INTRODUCTION
A. Consider this old saying: “Speech is silver, and silence is golden.”
1. The meaning of this saying is obvious: It is good to speak, but it is even better to be silent.
2. No one knows who originated this saying, but its meaning comes straight from God’s word.
B. Silence has great value in the sight of God, and yet it is very rare in the world.
1. In this world, we talk and talk and talk, but very rarely do we really have anything to say.
2. Perhaps if we will stop talking and be quiet, we will find the wisdom of silence.
C. Presently, let us consider the blessedness of silence according to the word of God.
II. WHY SILENCE IS GOLDEN
A. The power of words is so great that their use is a matter of life and death.
1. Whoever said, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me,” failed to respect the great power that words may have.
2. Consider Proverbs 18:21 – “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”
a. The first part of this proverb indicates the seriousness of the power of speech. People’s lives can depend upon something that may or may not be said.
b. The second part means that those who value and care for the power of words will benefit from that power because they will respect it and use it wisely.
3. Jesus warned of the eternal consequences of the words that we use.
a. He said, “But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matt. 12:36-37).
b. How many careless words are spoken every day? Curses, lies and deceit, blasphemy, filthiness, and profanity are common, careless words for which men and women will have to answer to God in the day of judgment.
4. Notice James 3:1-12, where James tells us how the tongue, being such a small member of the body, has the power to defile the entire person.
a. James first admonishes us against becoming teachers (of God’s law) because of man’s tendency to lose control over his tongue (vv.1-2).
b. The tongue determines the direction of the whole person just as a bit in a horse’s mouth controls the whole horse or a rudder turns the entire ship (vv. 3-4).
c. The tongue can destroy a person’s life and soul just as a small fire can consume an entire forest (vv. 5-6).
d. The tongue cannot be tamed, meaning that there is never a time when a person can let down his guard and stop being careful in what he says (vv. 7-8).
e. The tongue is a confounding instrument that is capable of sending mixed, inconsistent messages if not brought under constant control (vv. 9-12).
5. Therefore, we must be exceedingly careful with words, for there is no greater power within the control of man than the power of the tongue.
a. Notice two proverbs:
i. “The one who guards his mouth preserves his life; the one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.” (Prov. 13:3)
ii. “He who guards his mouth and his tongue, guards his soul from troubles.” (Prov. 21:23)
b. Just as we would not carelessly handle a gun, explosives, or some other dangerous instrument that might bring physical harm or death to ourselves or others, so also we must guard our tongues because of their dangerous power.
B. Because the power of words is so great, an abundance of words creates a dangerous situation.
1. Notice Proverbs 10:19 – “When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise.”
a. Those who speak many words are bound to say many false and idle words for which they must give an account. The tongue cannot be tamed, so if it is used excessively, then it is certain to falter and bring misery to its owner.
b. If a person will restrain himself from always saying what he is thinking, then he will wisely save himself from many errors and sins.
2. Jesus taught of the goodness and wisdom of using few words.
a. Concerning the swearing of oaths, Jesus said, “But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is of evil” (Matt. 5:37).
i. An answer of “yes” or “no” from an honest, godly person is all that is necessary.
ii. Such simple language will suffice without the vanity and pride of swearing.
b. Concerning prayer, Jesus warned against using meaningless repetitions: “And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words” (Matt. 6:7).
i. God is the audience for our prayers, and He knows our needs and the contents of our hearts without the abundance of our words.
ii. Meaningless repetitions in prayer, especially in public, are merely for show and pride.
3. One who uses few words reduces his likelihood of making hasty, foolish answers.
a. Notice Proverbs 18:13 – “He who gives an answer before he hears, it is folly and shame to him.”
i. Many people have spoken foolish words about a subject before they knew enough to give an valid opinion. Such undisciplined talk is shameful and embarrassing.
ii. Once something is spoken, it cannot be retracted. One may repent, apologize, or otherwise atone for a foolish statement, but its damage may be irreversible and its folly unforgettable.
b. Consider James 1:19 – “This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger.”
i. If a person will be slow to speak, then he is much less likely to speak sinful foolishness and much more likely to exercise wisdom in his speech or silence.
ii. In our age of cable TV news, talk radio, and internet blogs, swift talkers often spread lies and rumors before the truth can be obtained. Such foolishness does much damage to those who fall prey to it.
C. Therefore, there is great wisdom in silence.
1. Rather than speaking to show ourselves wise, let us know when silence is the better demonstration of wisdom.
a. Consider Proverbs 17:27-28 – “He who restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding. Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is considered prudent.”
i. A truly wise man does not have the need to parade his wisdom before others, and his “cool spirit” enables him to restrain his words.
ii. Foolishness can only be revealed when a fool speaks, so a silent fool is as good as a silent wise man.
b. Also consider Proverbs 12:23 – “A prudent man conceals knowledge, but the heart of fools proclaims folly.”
i. It is rarely necessary for us to say all that we think or know. Rather, we should say “only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment” (Eph. 4:29).
ii. A fool will say all that he knows and many other things that he does not know.
2. Let us understand that having great wisdom does not mean knowing everything, but rather it means knowing how to use the knowledge that we do have.
III. CONCLUSION
A. Indeed, “speech is silver, and silence is golden.” It is the truth of God’s word that has been proven throughout all of man’s years.
B. Therefore, let us observe the wisdom of silence and be counted among the wise who know when not to speak.