by: Dr. Allen Domelle
Job 11:2
“Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man full of talk be justified?”
In Zophar’s prosecution of Job’s character, he made a statement that should be adhered by every Christian. He says, “Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man full of talk be justified?” He was saying that he couldn’t help but speak because he felt the more that Job talked, the more he condemned himself. Of course, Zophar was looking at Job’s situation through his own skewed view, but the content of what he said is true.
The best way to catch someone doing wrong is through their conversation. There are times when you just need to let them talk, because the more they talk, the more they will say things that will condemn themselves. Proverbs 10:19 says, “In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.” The more a sinner talks, the more they expose what they have done wrong. Job 15:6 enforces this truth when it says, “Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: yea, thine own lips testify against thee.” There are times when you just need to let people talk because you will learn their fallacies through their talk. There are several lessons you can learn from this verse.
First, let the other person talk in any type of negotiation. Whether you are trying to discern if a person has done wrong, or you are trying to find out the truth, or you are in a business negotiation, you would be wise to let the other person do most of the talking. You will find out more about what the other person has done or is willing to do the more they talk. You must learn to sit in silence and listen. This is hard for many people, but if you learn to be silent, you will discover the substance needed to deal with the situation.
Second, let listening be your first action in any conversation. James 1:19 says, “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:” Have you ever been with someone who starts a conversation and never stops talking? There have been a few times when I have had to tell someone to take a breath. You will learn more through your listening ear than your speaking tongue. You will find that the more you listen, the more you will be able to engage with others and help them with their needs. If you are “swift to hear” and “slow to speak,” you will find you can be a greater help and able to deal with obscured situations much better.
Third, there is more wisdom in silence than in talk. Job 13:5 says, “O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.” Some of the wisest people I have been around are people who don’t talk much. One thing you will learn about silence is that it makes the guilty uncomfortable; the less you talk, the more they will talk. Likewise, the fool is uncomfortable with silence; that is why they spew their foolishness. You will find that if you speak less, you have a better chance of saying something that will come back to bite you. I have always learned more by listening than by talking.
Certainly, there is nothing wrong with talking, and there is a time when you should speak, but you will gain more wisdom through silence than by talking. Learn to be a listener, and you will gain the wisdom you need to deal with most situations in life.