Selah – Thoughts of a Cute Mute
I have laryngitis; for several days, I could barely whisper.
I remember losing my voice once before during my last year at Uni. A friend of mine cheekily called me a “cute mute.”
While I am hardly “cute” anymore, after 10 years and a baby, I have definitely been mute for the past two days.
It has made me a lot more reflective about the power of speech.
Being a literary person as well as a leisurely talker, I enjoy my words. I like making conversation and sharing my thoughts freely. It’s quite satisfying to be able to express myself.
So while I have been frustrated at my inability to talk, I have been surprisingly aware of my ability to listen. It turns out that it simply takes being silent a bit longer than usual to hear a whole lot more.
As I shared in my sermon on Saturday (Mercy and Truth Kiss: The Meaning of Moses’ Mistake), I was quite reckless with my words a week ago, when we were having a miserable time in New Zealand.
This week, because each word has been quite painful to pronounce, I have been a lot more careful. As a result, I have chosen my words more wisely. My silence has also given the men of my house (my husband, my son, my father-in-law), occasion to talk more about what’s on their minds. My muteness has given me insight into their needs and concerns.
The Bible has wise words to live by – James says, “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can sae you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. . . Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless” (James 1:19-22, 26).
I may not be a cute mute, or even an acute mute, but I have experienced the power of silence in communication. Just as the rest notes in a musical score provide the harmony and balance needed for a great song, pauses in life to truly listen to the other person are necessary for a good relationship.
Perhaps that’s what God, too, desires from us at this moment – to pause, to listen, to be silent.
Selah is a Hebrew word used 74 times, mainly in Psalms. No one knows precisely what it means, but some believe it is either a liturgico-musical mark meaning “stop and listen,” or an indication of a musical interlude.
Perhaps it’s a good time to be mute – Selah.
by: Jinha Kim
"But those who drink the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life." John 4:14