5 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.
2 Do not be quick with your mouth,
do not be hasty in your heart
to utter anything before God.
God is in heaven
and you are on earth,
so let your words be few.
3 A dream comes when there are many cares,
and many words mark the speech of a fool.
Ecclesiastes 5:1-3
A saying from Uganda says, “One who talks, thinks; but one who keeps silent, thinks more.” We might advise a person to think before the person acts. The Teacher changes his tone at the beginning of chapter five of Ecclesiastes. We are advised to listen when we approach the God of the universe.
I hate to think of just how many times have I spoken hastily and regretted my harshness and have had to ask forgiveness? I don’t know how many times but I do know I am guilty. Unfortunately, my kids remember too. The Teacher reasons that just as when we are worried we often have trouble sleeping and rehearse the speech for the next day for that person who misunderstood us or perhaps we have to face that angry child, the student who just doesn’t seem to get the point,so in the same way too many words “mark the speech of a fool.” During this season of political speeches, we tire of all the words and doubt the promises.
Let us read these verses again and pray for the grace to calm our hearts and listen when we are in the presence of the Holy – be that at church, walking in nature, or listening to our music. Lord, give us ears to hear and help us guard our mouths.
On the Way to Wonder 