SILENCE

I Was Just Thinking About – SILENCE.

Several years ago, Paul Simon wrote (1963-1964) the lyrics to a song he titled, “The Sound of Silence.” The opening line of the song is: “Hello darkness, my old friend – I’ve come to talk to you again.” As he writes the different stanzas, he includes these words:

“In restless dreams I walked alone - 

Narrow streets of cobblestone, '

Neath the halo of a street lamp, 

I turned my collar to the cold and damp, 

When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light 

That split the night - 

And touched the sound of silence.”

A point of interest in the lyric is that he does not see himself as totally alone. It is the lack of sound and inter-personal relationship that results in The Sound of Silence. He adds these lyrics:

“And in the naked light I saw, 

Ten thousand people, maybe more. 

People talking without speaking, 

People hearing without listening, 

People writing songs that voices never share - 

And no one dared - Disturb the sound of silence.”

Obviously, most of us have received the words of instruction in our youth that “Children should be seen and not heard” and “Silence is golden.” In all likelihood, the “silence is golden” statement is based upon the words recorded in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven…a time to keep silence, and a time to speak…” This truth is undeniable. However, one must be guarded about maintaining silence when a timely word should be uttered.

In terms of assessing the time and place for not maintaining silence, King Lemuel rehearses the oracle and instruction of his Mother in Proverbs 31:8-9, “Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.” Another illustration of this truth is forcefully shared in an hour of crisis when Mordecai sent word to Queen Esther – Esther 4:13-14, “Do not think to yourself that… you will escape any more than all the other Jews. For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

There were too many people who remained silent during the Holocaust in World War II. 

Too many people have remained silent in their opposition to abortion on demand that was legalized in 1973 resulting in the deaths of nearly 70 million unborn infants. 

Untold numbers of professing Christians are silent about racial inequities and injustices. 

The “Church” observes atrocities throughout the world and would rather “play it safe” rather than “run any risks.” 

There is a webpage, Time To Speak, that shares: “1 of every 4 children will experience sexual abuse before age 18. Moat abusers are family or friends of family and are known to the child.” And yet – too often by both the “church” and “professing Christian” there is the deafening sound of silence.

Prayerfully – consider these things with me!