Super Silence

It started two weeks in advance and escalated all the way to Super Bowl Sunday. It began again early on Sunday and continued right up to game time, resuming during half-time. It seemed that every former player, coach and want-a-be was sharing Super Bowl opinions, theories, observations – on talk show panels, in interviews, and via social networks. A few were insightful, some were interesting, most were hot air. I was reminded of one of my favorite quotes, this one from Plato, “A wise man speaks when something needs to be said. A fool speaks when he needs to say something.” Is there a religious lesson to be learned from this? Absolutely! One of the first verses I memorized (and I have long since forgotten why I did so) was James 1:19, “So then, my beloved brethren, let everyman be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” One of my recent Scripture favorites is Zephaniah 1:7, “Be silent in the presence of the Lord God.” There is a time for words. When that time comes, choose wisely. There is also a time for silence. Silence drives most fast-lane Americans crazy, but when the time comes, shhhh!

Join me this week with the following global concerns:
• Pray for the Upward Sports Conference in Ukraine and for the effective use of sports in ministry.
• Pray for local believers as well as those who serve in Tunisia, Yemen and Egypt.
• Pray for Darbi as she begins a Bible study with the women in Mapanza, Zambia.
• Pray for Trey and Elise as they complete their ministry in Croatia.