5 [a]Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil. 2 [b]Do not be hasty [c]in word or [d]impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few. 3 For the dream comes through much [e]effort and the voice of a fool through many words.
4 When you make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. Pay what you vow! 5 It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. 6 Do not let your [f]speech cause [g]you to sin and do not say in the presence of the messenger of God that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry on account of your voice and destroy the work of your hands? 7 For in many dreams and in many words there is [h]emptiness. Rather, [i]fear God.
8 If you see oppression of the poor and denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be shocked at the [j]sight; for one [k]official watches over another [l]official, and there are higher [m]officials over them. 9 After all, a king who cultivates the field is an advantage to the land.
As I read this passage, I’m reminded of one of my favorite characters from Lord of the Rings. He is well-known for saying “don’t be hasty…” His race, the Ents, were also known for “not saying anything unless it is worth taking a long time to say. We, on the other hand, rush to and fro, and our words are not far behind.
When there is a silence, we grow uncomfortable and try to hurriedly think of something to say. However, a lack of haste should not only be practiced with God, I think we’d do well to slow down with our fellow humans as well. Solomon goes so far as to call one a fool who continually uses many words (v. 3). Later, the apt description of many words is “emptiness”.
We can say a lot of things, but are we actually communicating anything useful? Today, and every day, we should think carefully of our words. Consider their impact, and whether they are helpful. Certainly, there’s a case for making good conversation–yet note the “good” there. Too often we devolve into gossip or outright slander, yet what does that say to others about the One that we claim to serve?
Yes, there are plenty of bad things going on, “oppression of the poor”, “denial of justice”, and a lack of righteousness. Solomon tells us not to be shocked, but we love to listen to the shock and fear that our media produces. Once again, consider your words, are you trying to help, or just adding to the drama? Instead of participating in the darkness, be light and life to those around you, as you “let your light so shine… that they may glorify your Father”.