Strength in Silence

“But when the leading priests and the elders made their accusations against him, Jesus remained silent.” Matthew 71:12-14

Question: How can you practice silence? 

Jesus heard every snide remark. Every curse and every lie. Still, he stood there, silent. 

My first inclination is to defend myself, especially when there is absolutely zero truth in what is being said. 

But If Jesus would have spoken against them, Can you imagine the priest and the elders becoming silent and retracting their statements and then letting Jesus go? 

No. And Jesus knew this. We now know why Jesus had to be silent. They didn’t, which made him appear guilty. 

He had trust in his Father. 

Words can rip pieces of our hearts because they aren’t meaningless or harmless. It’s not that we believe them, but the person saying them does. I think that’s what hurts the most. 

It takes incredible strength to hold a tongue. What will people think if we don’t speak up for ourselves? 

The book of James describes the tongue as a world of evil and fire. It can corrupt the whole person and can set the course of a life on fire. It’s a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 

Yet, Jesus held his tongue, meaning we can hold ours. 

Prayer: Lord, Being silent is so hard, but I know that defending myself can often lead to other words that can be hurtful. Teach me to rely on your Grace to give me strength to keep my mouth shut. In Jesus name, Amen. 

Reflection: I am always proud when I can see the evidence of how Jesus slowly changes my character. Look for the evidence of your prayers being answered.