Quick witted. Sarcastic.  Snarky. Smart aleck.  I have been called all of these names and more.  My words seem to get the best of me sometimes, especially when my filter is missing.

This trait of mine made my first few years of marriage especially challenging.  It’s not that I was always right (because I wasn’t), but I was never without a response during an argument. Over the years, as I saw the effects of my words, I learned to NOT say everything that came to mind.  As our family began to grow, the lesson solidified.  Children don’t appreciate or understand sarcasm. As they have grown older, I see the same trait in them, and I feel what it’s like to be on the receiving end.

In Psalms 38, we hear David crying out to the Lord- “Oh Lord, don’t rebuke me in your anger!” He says that his enemies are plotting against him, making plans to ruin him, “thinking up treacherous deeds all day long” (vs 12, NLT).  David’s next line made me sit and think for a while:

“I choose to hear nothing, and I make no reply” (vs 13)

Umm, what? What do you mean by that? You choose to hear nothing? Come on, David, you are a powerful man of war- you could wipe out these enemies, but you choose to hear nothing?? How do you do that?

David continues, “For I am waiting for you, O Lord. You must answer for me, O Lord, my God.” (vs 14)

Oh, that’s how.

It is a choice to hear nothing and to not respond. I have a choice to watch my family wilt under my words or let it be. There is always a choice.  Maybe you’re not the problem- maybe you are David in the equation and your enemies are chattering about you.  Make the choice to hear nothing and leave them with no response.  Or maybe it’s something on Facebook or Instagram- and part of you is just dying to write that little comment.  We all have those moments– walk away from it.  Chose to say nothing.  That speaks louder than any words you could ever say.

~Shiney