Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Silence

I’ve never been gifted in the art of keeping silent. Growing up, my mama used to say…”do you always have to speak your mind?” My reply was always the same, “yes.” A mentor in undergraduate school once said to me right in the middle of me making what I thought was a valid point, “you are too cut and dried.” Not only was I “cut and dried,” I was ignorant so much so that when the mentor walked away, I remember asking those around me, “what’s cut and dried?” I laugh now because I realize how green I was back then, but time, life and education has a way of catching up with your desire to speak truth intelligently as so moved by the Holy Spirit.


This gift was given from above and is a banner that I am not ashamed of adorning because it has made a difference in countless ways. I write about this gift as a badge of honor. Fearless to some, extreme to others, but no doubt a characteristic if honed produces fruit for generations to come. Ordained and order by God to speak against injustice and inequality; and for peace and love. One that at times is a lightening rod, but soft as a cloud if understood from whom the message is conveyed.

Where would the world be if people like Gandhi, Abraham Lincoln, Sojourner Truth and others had remained silent? Many think that silence is golden and can be, as Rosa Parks only spoke a few words, but her actions spoke louder than her words. As I meditate on silence as an option, I respect the ability to have the choice to speak out or act upon and I say let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable and pleasing unto you Oh Lord!

1 comment:

Larie Carlice Proverbs 27:19 said...

This post is a wonderful way to choose NOT to remain silent! I see a bit of irony, (in a very good way), in this post and I admire it!

smooches,
Larie