One childhood experience will remain in my memory forever … 11th grade, Spring semester. As I walked down the hall after school, I caught wind of a rumor spreading about me. Immediately, I lost it – flipped my wig, blew a fuse, the works! In the midst of my whirlwind of words, one of my favorite teachers eased into the hallway and said, “Reggie, into my room; NOW!” Within seconds, she uttered the words that often struck fear in my heart, “Would your dad approve of what I heard you say?”
In retrospect, I wish I had kept my mouth shut. Had I been silent, my life would have proved the rumor wrong. That’s the perspective JESUS offers in today’s text. While the false accusations poured in, JESUS remained silent. If HE didn’t feel the need to “fix” the rumors, then why should we? JESUS understood that the wrong words – at the seemingly right time – can prove catastrophic.
So the next time you’re tempted to “put someone in check,” remember JESUS’ response. Or, reflect on the powerful insight in the following quote: “‘Tis better to be silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt” (Abraham Lincoln).