Talkativeness is utterly ruinous to deep
spirituality. It is one of the greatest hindrances to deep, solid
union with God Notice how people will tell the same thing over and
over-how insignificant trifles are magnified by a world of words;
how things that should be buried are dragged out into gossip; how a
worthless non-essential is argued and disputed over; how the solemn,
deep things of the Holy Spirit are rattled over in a light
manner-until one who has the real baptism of the divine silence in
his heart, feels he must unceremoniously tear himself away to some
lonely room or forest, where he can gather up the fragment of his
mind, and rest in God.
Not only do we need cleansing from sin, but our natural human spirit
needs a radical death to its own noise and activity and worldliness.
See the evil effects of so much talk.
First, it dissipates the spiritual power. The thought and feeling of
the soul are like power and steam-the more they are condensed, the
greater their power.
Second, it is a waste of time. If the hours spent in useless
conversation were spent in secret prayer or deep reading, we would
soon reach a region of soul life and divine peace beyond our present
dreams.
Third, loquacity inevitably leads to saying unwise
or unpleasant or unprofitable things. In religious conversation, we
soon churn up all the cream our souls have in them and the rest of
our talk is all pale, skim milk until we get alone with God and feed
on His green pasture until the cream arises again. The Holy Spirit
warns us that "in the multitude of words there lacketh not sin." It
is impossible for even the best of saints to talk beyond a certain
point without saying something unkind, or severe, or foolish, or
erroneous. We must settle this personally. If others are noisy and
gossip, I must determine to live in constant quietness and humility
of heart: I must guard my speech as a sentinel does a fortress, and
with all respect for others, I must many a time cease from
conversation or withdraw from company to enter deep communion with
my precious Lord. To walk in the Spirit we must avoid talking for
talk's sake, or merely to entertain. To speak effectively we must
speak in God's appointed time, and in harmony with the indwelling
Holy Spirit
"He that hath knowledge spareth his words." (Prov. 17:27). "In
quietness and in confidence shall be your strength." Isa. 30:15;
also read Eccl. 5:2-3 |
