The Bible Edge
Everyone needs an Edge, Believers can have the Bible Edge
Proverbs 29:11 A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards.
You know people like this. People who speak their mind without reserve. They have an opinion and can’t wait to tell everyone what it is. Say anything about any subject and they just have to tell you what they think about it. Concerning any subject they have a mind full of reasons, facts, judgments and thoughts that they just know are so and must share them with everyone else. There are those who utter their entire mind at any opening to do so, and then there are those who maintain reserve, they contemplate over the issue, they learn facts, and then if needed or invited, they share their thoughts.
Years ago, in business as a young salesman, I was to be involved in a big meeting concerning a very important sales contract that our company was trying to win. Not only were there numerous employees of the future client present, but there were also representatives from our competitors. One of our most senior managers told me before the meeting, “Notice the one who speaks the most in this meeting, that person is the weakest in the room, don’t concern yourself too much with what they have to say, but pay very close attention to the person who speaks sparingly, that person is the decision maker.” This seemed wrong to me at the time, but now over three decades later, having been in many meetings over the years I have come to believe that my old boss was right.
The case could be made that Peter was such a type. He seemed to speak all his mind at the wrong time, in the wrong way, and with the wrong spirit. He was impetuous at best and rude at worst. It was so bad once that Mark 8:33 records this: But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men. What did Peter do? He had rebuked Jesus because the Lord said He would go to Jerusalem, be put to death, and rise again three days later. Hey, that is the Christian message, the Gospel, the Good News, yet Peter spoke up and spouted off the devil’s lie about it. Hey, if it can happen to Peter, it can happen to anyone. They utter all their mind about something they know nothing of.
Truly, A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards. Someone once said, “God gave us two ears and one mouth, so evidently He meant for us to listen twice as much as we speak.” The same could be said for eyes, perhaps we should also observe twice as much as we speak. As a parting comment let me pass on another wise saying, “Be very careful about giving others a piece of your mind after all, you only have so many pieces, if you give them all away you will lose your mind a piece at a time.”
William T. Howe, Ph.D.