Silent Speech - Dee Brown

Silent Speech

“I’d rather see a sermon than hear one any day:
I’d rather one would walk with me than merely tell the way.”

“The eye’s a better pupil, and more willing than the ear,
Fine counsel is confusing, but example’s always clear.”

“I can soon learn how to do it, if you let me see it done,
I can catch your hands in action, but your tongue too fast may run.”

These lines from the poet Edgar Guest are beautiful. They not only speak a truth in an eloquent way, but stimulate us to think about our own influence and whether or not we are “saying” what we should be saying to others.

Influence has been a vital part of our most fundamental lessons. Our first effort at writing words involved a written example of the A-B-C’s. Math problems–from the most fundamental arithmetic to the most complex calculus–was made clear to us by the use of examples; it is the same with biology, chemistry, polemics, football, or computer science. We can just do it better after we’ve seen it done.

Could I suggest some sermons you could preach without ever having to enter a pulpit?

Say something to others by how you speak. If you speak with a clean tongue in this world of filthy language, you are saying something about how you feel about taking God’s name in vain, about using dirty terminology, about speaking derogatorily all the time. What do you think people “see” when they “hear” you?

Say something to others by what you wear. Sloppy dress says something without saying a word. Provocative dress–low neck lines, short-short skirts, tight clothing–is a speech that should not be in your vocabulary. Conversely, proper attire, modest apparel, appropriate dress all make a strong statement without a word.

Say something to others by how you act. Everyone wants to have fun, it’s part of the good life. But when fun goes ballistic, when restraint goes out the window, when loudness and silliness take over, you are saying, and loudly enough for all to hear, that you don’t give much consideration to control, much concern for orderliness. It’s fine to have fun, but you don’t have amplify it to a ridiculous extreme. Conduct speaks volumes.

Say something to others by your choice of associates. Stay long enough in an atmosphere and you become like those with whom you share it. If you choose to associate with people who have no concern for God, who are constantly deriding those who do, then it won’t be long until you join their chorus. On the other hand, if you associate with godly people, people who have Christ in their hearts and love on their minds, you will likely adopt their views and endorse their good example. What say ye?

Say something to others by your attendance at worship services. If you are the only one on your block who gets up on Sunday and makes his way to the services of the saints, you are making a loud, discernable statement to your neighbors. You are telling them what you consider to be important, what takes precedence in your life, and by that you are recommending the same high life to them. But if you only attend sporadically they hear your voice clearly; it says that you are satisfied with spiritual mediocrity and will attend when it’s not too much trouble or when there’s nothing more exciting to do. What are you saying on Sunday morning?

Now, I’ve not used a host of scriptures to prove these assertions. Why? Because, I needed only one: “Let your light so shine before men that others may see our good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

Need I say more?


Dee Bowman