"If you would only keep silent, that would be your wisdom!" – Job 13:5

“Silence is the element in which great things fashion themselves together; that at length they may emerge, full-formed and majestic, into the daylight of Life, which they are thenceforth to rule." – Thomas Carlyle

Job has a word for those friends who have come to his aid, who had sat with him in silence for as long as they could stand themselves, and then proceeded to advise him as to why he was suffering and how to get out of trouble.

It is not that all their advice was bad in a general way. They did, in fact, utter some truth.

But it was not the right truth for the right moment.  Some of it may have applied to Job. Some of it did not. Most of it, he knew. None of it was her ready or needful to hear.

Job's words were that he was better served by their silent friendship than their pontifical advice.

Just sitting with him in the golden essence of silence was the wisest thing that had done or could do. It is often the wisest thing we can do when someone is hurting.

But it is hard. It frustrates our "fix-it" instincts and our compulsion to know more than the other guy. We assume that our opinion is needed, wanted, and helpful before we take the time to listen to our neighbor's story without criticism, judgment, or correction.

But sitting in silence and listening actively may be the most healing actions we can take in the moment …

… in this moment of history, personally and collectively.

We are driven by some internal desire to express our perspective when our neighbors are in pain and finally finding a voice to express that pain.

I was taught it was rude to say "shut up," but  as much as that is strong and offensive language, sometimes it is the only language  that is able to get me to stop talking, sit, and listen.

So, the word for the day is two words, "SHUT UP!"

No matter how true what you think is or, at least, is to you, save it for later, a time when you are asked for an opinion. When you are sitting with a hurting neighbor, keep sitting until he or she speaks first or asks for you to chime it.

It may be the greater path of wisdom.

Maybe my next blog will be "Speak Up."

No two words tell the whole story.