Day 26: A Hearing Heart
When words are many, sin is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent. - Proverbs 10:19
Let’s get the record straight, we talk a lot. (Like, a lot.) In fact, one of the few things we’re actually good at is talking.
In this media-rich world, we exalt words to the highest of places. A tweet, a post-game press conference, a one-liner from the Bachelor (“I’m excited about excitement”)—we love words. Yet, in the Biblical narrative, there seems to be a different kind of communication which God honors.
Read 1 Kings 3:3-14
The author of this Proverb was Solomon. 1 Kings 3 is bold to say of Solomon, that he was the wisest man ever to live, and no one after him will ever eclipse his brilliance. But how did this ancient King live into this wisdom?
By listening.
Most English translations tell us that in this divine encounter, Solomon requested from God “an understanding mind.” Our language unfortunately sells the Hebrew imagery short. The more literal phrase here would have been, “Give your servant a hearing heart.” Solomon’s brilliance had nothing to do with the words which came out of his mouth, but rather the tender sensitivity of his soul.
How then do we safeguard this sensitivity? By making space for silence. As uncomfortable, challenging and distracting as it may feel, we must fight for the secret place. No agenda, no requests, no Hillsong—just God and you. It is in that place alone where we may finally understand like the ancients, that the pathway to wisdom is often much quieter and much simpler than we could have ever imagined.
Prayer
Jesus, ever-speaking and ever-kind, would you please open the ears of our hearts. Would you help us be people that are more apt to sit silently in your presence, than to speak quickly from our minds. We repent of being quick to speak, and are thankful that your voice is never far from us. May we echo the words of Samuel, “speak Lord, for your servant is listening.”
By Jonathan DeMacedo, Business Administration Major at Northwest University