““Then Pilate asked Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” He answered and said to him, “It is as you say.” And the chief priests accused Him of many things, but He answered nothing. Then Pilate asked Him again, saying, “Do You answer nothing? See how many things they testify against You!” But Jesus still answered nothing, so that Pilate marveled.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭15‬:‭2-‭5‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“Silence is golden,” a proverb believed to have originated in Ancient Egypt, first appeared in English literature in 1831 when poet Thomas Carlyle translated the phrase from German in Sartor Resartus. In a particular portion of the text, a character, expounding upon the much overlooked and undervalued virtue of silence, states: 

“..all the considerable men I have known…forbore to babble of what they were creating and projecting. Nay, in thy own mean perplexities, do thou thyself but hold thy tongue for one day: on the morrow, how much clearer are thy purposes and duties; what wreck and rubbish have those mute workmen within thee swept away, when intrusive noises were shut out! …Speech too is great, but not the greatest. As the Swiss Inscription says: Sprecfien ist silbern, Schweigen ist golden (Speech is silvern, Silence is golden); or as I might rather express it: Speech is of Time, Silence is of Eternity.”

Silence is also biblical (Proverbs 10:19; 11:12; 17:27-28; 21:13; 29:20; 30:32; Ecclesiastes 3:7; James 1:26). 

In today’s reading, Yeshua answered Pilate’s question, but when His accusers questioned Him, He chose silence and answered nothing. Sometimes, silence is easy. Other times, silence is hard. But always, silence is a choice. I hold power over the words we say and the words we don’t. 

My work/professional life mission statement is to leave people better than I found them. Sometimes that looks like speaking words of life, truth – both the feel good and the hard kid, and encouragement. At other times, it looks like lending a listening ear or serving in a practical way. And often, the most powerful impact is found in times of silence, our Savior taught us that.

Father – thank You for the example of Your Son. Help me to measure my words more precisely. Show me when to speak and when to be silent. You are good and You keep doing good. Your leadership in my life is perfect and You can be trusted. Amen. 

Daily Reading: Matthew 27, Mark 15

November 12, 2022