Drawn To Speech, Or Drawn To God?

We have our reactions and our responses when it comes to people of many words. We can find ourselves drawn to the person who has seemed to make verbal communication an art form. Flowery speech and immense knowledge can come across as something worthy of our undivided attention. If we were to consider all the talking that is discharged continually on this planet, we would surely cry out for quietness!

I have found that many christians receive the gift of talking. As I look in the scriptures, however, I cannot find this gift recorded. It seems, then, that the christian has many things to talk about, and so many potential hearers!

We do have great things to communicate, as believers. The Gospel is the key to life, after all. We must convey it to as many persons as we can! Have you noticed, though, that the Gospel is concise, and does not require many words to convey? In fact, the use of too many words can add confusion to the simplicity of God's unconditional love toward man.

You know, I think God gave us a message through creation. He gave us two ears, and one mouth. So it isn't that we should not speak, but it is that we ought to listen MORE than we speak! This represents the true gift in communication, which is found in listening to the leading of the Holy Spirit, and listening to the other person, and still having gentle guidance in the conversation.

The Gospel does not need to be sold. People do not need to be tricked into believing. Conversely, God, through the Holy Spirit, leads his people to salvation. This is done mysteriously, lovingly, and miraculously by the Creator.

If there are objections in a conversation, then we apply reasoning to expose the source of the objections, and the source of the Gospel. Godly reasoning comes from a prepared heart. This would be one that has a good knowledge of the scriptures and theology, combined with a compassion and desire for others to know their God. Even this reasoning does not manifest itself in wordiness. On the contrary, the opposing viewpoint is most often the wordy one.

James 1:19 calls us to be quick and ready to hear, and slow, even dull to speaking. The chapter finishes out by teaching us that hearing must lead do doing. Each one of us wants to receive everything we can from God, so that He can work out His Will for us through us. There is much to hear. Heaven is always speaking.

Stay quiet, and listen. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!