Shhh! You Talk Too Much

That’s what my husband replied to me after a few days at home under hospice care. I wanted to delve into what he must be thinking when he thoughtfully and slowly opened and closed his eyes. I thought maybe he was already seeing his mansion in heaven along with his loved ones waiting for him there. I asked him about it. After my many words and vowing that if he wanted us to keep standing strong for a miracle, I would stand strong with him. I asked, “So, sweet man, what are you thinking?” And, his reply: “Shhh! You talk too much!” He wanted to embrace the sound of silence…..not this sound gab! I’ll be sharing more about it later, but just an fyi -- I am an Election Official Clerk during the Early Voting period and then on Election Day. My co-workers and I can get quite rowdy when a first-time voter (and there have been many) comes through the line. We celebrate them with cheers and clapping. But, usually, while voters are filling out their ballots with seriousness and attention to the details, it can be incredibly quiet in the large room. Yesterday, I said to my co-poll worker – it’s like a library in here! I’m sure those pondering the choices on their ballots appreciate the quiet. Quiet – I read an article about the science of quiet. The very fact that there is field of science dedicated to quiet sure tells how noisy our world has become. It’s hard to tune out the voices of others, the call of social media, and the constant demands to do more and be more. There’s something to be said for God’s words: “Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10) Have you ever tried to quiet a loud room? Attempting to yell above the crowd usually doesn’t work. It’s far more effective to hush the crowd with a “shhh”. I think that was God’s method when my sweet husband said those “Shhh. You talk too much!” words. God’s whisper quiets us, calms us, stills us. I read that the “white noise” of the world might be the greatest obstacle to our spiritual growth. Apparently, “white noise” is a sound that contains every frequency a human can hear. And because it contains every frequency, it’s difficult to hear any frequency — especially the still, small voice of God. That’s how we forget that God is God. And it takes little to distract us. “I neglect God and his angels, for the noise of a fly." said the English poet John Donne Simply put, God often speaks loudest when we’re quietest. Lord, please help us yearn for your still small voice that will encourage us, calm us and soothe our are very noisy lives. If we want to hear the heart of God, silence is the key. If we want the Spirit of God to fill us, then we must be still.” We want to hear Your whispers louder than the noise of the world surrounding us. Speak, Lord, your servants are listening! Amen.