To Speak or Not to Speak

DEVOTION
PROVERBS
TO SPEAK OR NOT TO SPEAK
Prov 12:23
23 A prudent man keeps his knowledge to himself,
but the heart of fools blurts out folly.
NIV
I am always amazed at the litany of accolades a person can expound on about themselves. I am not sure why people feel the need to tell everyone how smart or intelligent they think they are. Maybe it is because of a great lack of self-confidence. Maybe they have an inferiority complex and have to make up for that feeling by trying to prove how smart they are. I am not sure why people do that, but I know people who always have to tell me how smart they are. It seems in every conversation they work in the degree they have, or their training in that area, or whatever, and the point is to make them right and me wrong regarding the subject of the conversation. It would appear God considers them fools, for blurting out their folly. This I am sure, that all of man’s wisdom is but foolishness to God. It has been said of me that I am a man of few words. Now I am not sure that is entirely accurate for it seems to me I say a lot, at least in the written form, if not in the spoken form. Sure I joke around, chit chat, small talk, and such and on occasion get into some serious conversations, but for the most part those serious ones are usually about spiritual matters. It is true I am an extremely opinionated person and have little to no tolerance for the wisdom of men, or should I say the supposed wisdom of men. Of what real value does all the knowledge of men have unless it is about eternal matters? It is true that at times I have chosen not to cast my pearls before swine. Why should I bother to expound of the greatness of God with a person who has professed total refusal of his existence and sovereignty? Why should I ever bring up any spiritual matters with a person who refuses to accept the Word of God as the basis for all truth and that is it in fact God breathed and without error? No argument can be won with a fool, it is only through the power of the Holy Spirit can they ever come to the truth. If they refuse the Holy Spirit then surely any words I have to offer would fall on a fool’s ear. It is certain I am not claiming them to be fools but God is and I am just agreeing with him. I believe the only real knowledge which should not be kept silence on is his and not mine, although all of mine is because of him. I will not be silent about him, but I will be about me.