Ecclesiastes 9:17 “The words of the wise heard in quietness are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools.”
SILENCE CAN BE GOLDEN
Parents understand that phrase all too well. It’s that time of the evening when the kids are finally all tucked into bed and the house is quiet. You peek in their rooms and see them sleeping peacefully. Silence is sweet. It is those times of the day when you, as a busy parent, can hear God speak.
Solomon says here in this verse “The words of the wise heard in quietness are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools.” What does he mean? It is an obvious statement to most of us. Some people think the louder they yell the more they are heard. While it really is just the opposite. I’ve heard it said if you train a mule with shouts it won’t respond to a whisper. So true.
TEACHING MOMENT
So, how do you correct your children? Do you yell and scream? Come on, be honest. I am sure there have been times when you have lost it. Tell me. Did your little Johnny or Susie learn anything from your screaming? I doubt it. I bet you were telling them the same thing the next day.
When we take our children and talk to them calmly and peaceably they are more likely to comprehend what we are trying to say. Be the wise person. Speak quietly more than loudly. You can ALWAYS get louder.
Let me encourage you today to keep the decibels down. Let your energy be spent in playing with your kids, not yelling at them. There may be a time when you need to yell to get them out of danger, but they are so use to you screaming at them they ignore it. Kind of like the boy who cried wolf. Remember that story?
A Moment In Time 