When was the last time that you’ve heard the expression, “Hold your peace?” I can’t remember when I last heard that expression. I guess we were supposed to include it in the vows during a wedding that we officiated last August, but we chose not to, as it seemed rather antiquated! Hold your peace is in fact an expression that means to keep silent, be quiet, shut up or to not say something that you really feel that you could or should say. There really is a time to speak and a time to remain silent and sometimes I have spoken when I should have remained silent and remained silent when I should have spoken up. I have found that when I spoke up, when I should have remained silent, it was usually to defend myself. It has especially been when I have taken a thing very personal and felt attacked, misunderstood or judged. I forget that there may be a lesson to be learned in the midst and that not reacting may just be the right thing to do at the time and it does not at all make me weak to do so. There are other times when I should have spoken up, especially in the defense of others, and I did not. It is funny how fear of intimidation can come along with a voice so loud that it paralyzes our vocal cords, causing us to shut up when we should speak intentionally, and with purpose! So how do we figure out when to speak and when to keep silent? Here is something to ponder.
· I have a Voice! I have an opinion and the ability to express an attitude, but that does not give me the right to say just anything that comes to my mind. Which brings me to the second point.
· I have a choice. I can choose to either speak up or be silent and whether right or wrong, I must understand that I am going to have to live with the consequences.
· There is the possibility of examining the Motivation behind what I am going to say if I am not hasty with my words. What place within me are my words coming from? Will my words bring comfort, or eventually peace? Or will they bring chaos or confusion because they are fueled by jealousy, anger, rage, or revenge.
May that precious gift of peace within me be cultivated to the point whereby I use wisdom, always, in what I say and how I say it.