when God shuts you up

 Today we read from these verses in the One Year Bible:

Numbers 22:21-23:30
Luke 1:57-80
Psalm 58:1-11
Proverbs 11:12-13 

Let's look at Mark. Zechariah asks the angel how he can know that what the angel is telling him is true. And the angel is like, "Well, since you didn't believe me, you can just be quiet for awhile." And Zechariah isn't able to talk until he names his son John.

God wants you and me to shut up sometimes, too. Don't get me wrong. There are definitely times we SHOULD SPEAK UP. In defending the weak. In speaking the truth. In expressing God's love. 

But there are definitely many, MANY times when we should just shut up. When someone is snarky to us online. When we get our feelings hurt. When we feel like attacking someone. When we want to gossip about somebody.

In fact, we would all do well to TALK alot less and listen alot more. It's impossible to take words back once they're spoken. Think about it before you say it. Pray about it before you speak. And always speak in love.

God, thanks for telling us that we need to shut up more.