Silence Is Golden...Except When It Isn't.

I tend to lack an inner filter.  I am hasty with my words and usually blurt them out before I reconcile the potential damage they can inflict.  I was painfully reminded of that fact today, but I will not go in to that other than to say I failed.  The realization of the failure and the affect broke my heart.

As I pointed out in my last posting, Exodus 14:14 speaks volumes to me for its message: "The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent." {ESV}

This verse and today's failure to tame my tongue has me thinking about silence.  Conducting a word search in the ESV, I see several different Dos and Don'ts with silence.

From Job, a fool or one of poor counsel:

"Oh that you would keep silent, and it would be your wisdom!" Job 13:5 {ESV}

From Proverbs and Psalms, silence is golden:

"Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent." Proverbs 17:28 {ESV}

"Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense, but a man of understanding remains silent." Proverbs 11:12 {ESV}

"Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah" Psalm 4:4 {ESV}

When we have a lesson to learn:

“Teach me, and I will be silent; make me understand how I have gone astray." Job 6:24 {ESV}

"Pay attention, O Job, listen to me; be silent, and I will speak" Job 33:31 {ESV}

"If not, listen to me; be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.” Job 33:33 {ESV}

When we have a lesson to impart:

"For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”  Esther 4:14 {ESV}

To praise the Lord!

"You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
     you have loosed my sackcloth
     and clothed me with gladness,
that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent.
     O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!" Psalm 30:11-12 {ESV}

And when we need to understand the obvious:

"But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” " Matthew 26:63 {ESV}

Not sure if this is helpful to anyone else, but I needed this lesson and hopefully can learn and apply it my life. It sure beats the other contemplated option: Duct Tape!

Goals Check
2,013 in 2013 for Hope House Challenge:
While I did not run yesterday like I had considered, I did go for an approximately 3 mile walk with my wife.  I enjoyed the conversation and the opportunity to spend some quality time with her.  Current total is approximately 38.5 of 1,000 miles complete.  Only 961.5 left to meet my goal. (That is 2.78 miles a day average over the remaining 346 days this year.  I got this!)

Read chronologically through the English Standard Version (ESV) of the Bible:
Today takes me through Exodus 15-19.  Still a bit ahead of my reading plan, but it is a safer approach since I know I will get bogged down in life at some point in this journey.