The Tower of Babel by Pieter Bruegel the Elder. Oil on board, 1563.
"Oh, how abundant is your goodness,
which you have stored up for those who fear you
and worked for those who take refuge in you,
in the sight of the children of mankind!
In the cover of your presence you hide them
from the plots of men;
you store them in your shelter
from the strife of tongues."
- Psalm 31:19-20 (ESV)
Continue to store us away from the strife of tongues and may our tongues not cause strife.
In a day of many wagging tongues and much strife and verbal violence, may we speak grace and filter out the graceless dissonance from our spirits, while hearing the genuine pain and heart cries of our broken and wounded neighbors.
May God's abundant goodness be upon us. May all these blessings come to you, my friends.
And sometimes, let us choose to remain silent, even when we think we have something to say that will shut the mouths of or opponents.
We have an example
" And Pilate again asked him, “Have you no answer to make? See how many charges they bring against you.”
But Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed."
- Mark 15:4-5 (ESV)
In a day when we, as Christians, feel compelled to protest our losses of special privilege, criticism, insult, offense, or false characterization of our motives, we have a role model for how to handle it.
After saying all there was to say, he just went silent.
He was not standing there to defend himself. After speaking truth, he simply embodied it with humility, grace, confidence, determination, and non-resistance to the consequences.
It was his silence that amazed Pilate.
