Silence, Beautiful Voice – Tennyson
by Mark Chatfield
via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 16 No. 4, December 31, 1990
Several of us were having light-hearted conversations after services the other evening. As it happens too often, I said a little bit more than I should have. There was a pause. A moment when no one knew just what to say. During that moment, I heard the beautiful voice of silence. It said, "Be careful." It went on to say, "Show respect for your fellow Christians." Then, after I left the building and considered the situation more, I realized that someone could have rebuked me or spoken harshly to me, but they didn’t. That voice of silence said, "I respect you even when you make a mistake; I know you meant no offense." Those two seconds of quiet said a lot to me.
Communication is an interesting art. We often communicate in ways other than speaking. Verbal emphasis and body language, such as facial expressions and hand movements, often say more than our words. However, there is another way of communicating that may not involve any of these. We can communicate by using silence.
When words were needed but not spoken, it has been said, "The silence was deafening." The use of no words and no reaction can be used as an attention technique. What greater way to create anticipation for a speech than to wait 5 or 10 seconds after the audience is obviously ready to listen? The method is very powerful, but must be carefully applied. If the President were to begin his State of the Union speech with a short period of silence, it would be an attention-getter. People would begin to get nervous if he stood there for 30 seconds. In another 10 or 15 seconds, someone would probably have to get up and see if he were still alive!
A comedian uses short periods of quiet time to set up his listeners. The timing often allows for thought and anticipation of the next statement. Without the proper timing, a joke may fall flat. Think of Bob Hope or Bill Cosby - they probably wouldn’t be very funny if all their sentences were strung together without some silent time.
It turns out that we all use this technique in our speaking to communicate. Obviously, some use it less than others. I know several people who seem insecure unless someone, usually them, is speaking. On the other hand, I know some who remain silent for so long after being spoken to that I wonder if they are daydreaming. But we all must pause for no reason but to catch our breath. Carlyle said, "He who cannot withal keep his mind to himself cannot practice any considerable thing whatsoever."
When are we to be silent? What is this characteristic of silence that makes it so effective? Can we learn to develop it? How can silence help us get a point across where words may not work? We know preaching is endorsed, but is it sometimes proper not to say anything?
Solomon said, "There is a time to be silent" (Ecclesiastes 3:7). I think it was Benjamin Franklin who said, "It is better to remain silent and have everyone think you are a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt." Whoever it was probably got the idea from Proverbs 17:28, "Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise." The silence of ignorance is not what God is telling us about. He is saying that there are times when words are not necessary. There are also times when words will harm. These are the times for silence.
"And the high priest stood up and said to Him, ‘Do You make no answer? What is it that these men are testifying against You?’ But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest said to Him, ‘I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God’" (Matthew 26:62-63). Jesus used silence. He may have used it to frustrate Caiaphas, the high priest, but I doubt it. He could have used it because He knew full well that his words would not change the outcome. But He definitely used silence to bring the high priest and all actively listening to understand that Jesus was widely recognized as the Son of God. His silence fulfilled prophecy, taught those around Him, emphasized His place in the Godhead, and assured a uniqueness which would be a testament to the truth of His message throughout recorded history. There, truly, was a time for silence.
"And I say to you, that every careless word that men shall speak, they shall render account for it in the day of judgment" (Matthew 12:36). To this, Benjamin Franklin said, "As we must account for every idle word, so we must for every idle silence." Indeed, we are expected to speak up when words are needed. Titus was told to speak confidently. Paul spoke boldly. Christians must preach. Even so, it is right to lead another to Christ "without a word" (I Peter 3), actually, without another word.
Sometimes, however, silence can be downright unhealthy. A person feeling hurt, weak, insulted, or guilty needs to talk about it. Psalms 32:2 says, "When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away." Our purpose here, however, is not to cover the obvious need to speak but the need and desirability at times to be silent.
During times when evil men won’t listen, silence may be appropriate. Amos 5:10-13 concludes, "Therefore, at such a time the prudent person keeps silent, for it is an evil time." This kind of thought is behind the command not to cast pearls before swine, as Jesus taught the multitudes in Matthew 7:6. A lot of wisdom is needed to know when silence is appropriate and when to withhold teaching the word which is meant for all mankind. That wisdom comes from prayer.
The other end of the spectrum also calls for silence. Rather than being silent because evil men won’t listen, we must sometimes be silent to show respect and awe before God. Habakkuk 2:20 says, "But the Lord is in His holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before Him." Often, our prayers are a one-sided conversation. We are usually very good at wording our prayers, but we lack the patience and understanding to listen to what God is telling us.
In Matthew 6:28, Jesus tells us to "consider the lilies of the field." Thinking, meditating, and considering require silence. "And Isaac went out to meditate in the field toward evening" (Genesis 24:63). If you want to unwind, go to a quiet field by yourself and let God communicate with you through the silent wonder of His creation.
The time for prayer is also a good time for silence. "But when you pray, you are not to be as the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners, in order to be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will repay you" (Matthew 6:6-7).
Pausing in silence in our busy lives makes time for refreshing. Stopping our conversation makes time for another to say something and to feel part of the discussion. It also allows us to get our brain back in gear. A second or two of quiet in the middle of a sentence or phrase may give another just the instant to digest what is being said. It may add the emphasis or timing needed to drive a point home. It can let others know you have considered what you are saying and are purposefully presenting the information in a way that says, silently, "I really want you to understand what I am saying."
