Speak Less by Lane Jordan Burday

After all, God is in heaven, and you are here on earth. So let your words be few.

(Ecclesiastes 5:2)

I was reading this verse with my husband for our nightly devotional time, and I didn’t understand it! Yes, I know God is in heaven, and we are here on earth. So?

As we read the devotional, we realized it was teaching us to remember to listen. We need to listen when others are talking, and especially, we need to listen to God to hear Him.

Stephen Covey once said, “Most of us don’t listen with the intent to understand. We listen with the intent to reply.”

That is so true! I’m a strong extrovert, and I catch myself literally on my toes wanting to share some ‘exciting’ thing. But am I taking the time to listen to those talking? I’m not sure. And I’m very convicted of that.

Ecclesiastes 5:1 is very blunt: “Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong. Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven, and you are on earth, so let your words be few.” In other words, keep your ears open and your mouth closed!!!

I love this verse from Proverbs 18:2: “Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions.” And isn’t that the truth? Just a lot of hot air going around without much sense or meaning to it.

So how are we to act? As we come before God in prayer, we would do well to make time to really listen to Him, not just pour our complaints and needs before Him.

And with others? Remember to really listen to what they have to say. Your relationships will change for the better when others know you care enough to listen. And that you care enough to pray for them.

My prayer for you: Dear God, please help me truly listen to others and make time in my prayers to listen to You, for You are my Lord, my God, and my whole life.

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