Slow To Speak
Suprina Frazier
International Best Selling Author Publisher
Bridges & Channels Enterprises , LLC
Picture a bright sunny Friday morning . Its fall , so the weather is not too hot , not too cold … just right . The time – 11 o ’ clock-ish . The place – a local grocery store .
I ’ m standing in line at the customer service booth , minding my own business as I wait to get a money order , when my ears suddenly pick up parts of an ongoing conversation about women who shouldn ’ t be having babies and why . The three participants in this conversation are several people ahead of me . They are very loud and opinionated .
I remain silent . Everyone has a right to their opinion . I don ’ t feel compelled to share mine on the subject . Nor is God prompting me to say anything . In fact , I sense Him telling me NOT to speak . I obey .
Instead of giving my two cents , I silently take note of the loud talkers as well as the ‘ seemingly ’ pregnant woman in front of me . The loud talkers look to be in their 30s and 40s . The ‘ pregnant ’ woman looks to be in her late 50 ’ s . On top of that , she has a small child with her .
Like me , the older woman is silent as well , except her face is stoic and indifferent – not an emotion in sight . In contrast , the little girl with her is a ball of energy , unable to stand still and too willing to push a buggy that doesn ’ t belong to them .
After the loud talkers leave , the formerly stoic woman begins to go off . “ I started to curse them out , but I had my grandbaby with me ,” she says . “ I ’ m not pregnant . That ’ s fluid buildup because of a medical condition .”
I say nothing as I silently digest the information I ’ d just been given . Like the loud talkers , I also thought she was pregnant . Unlike them , I didn ’ t try to make her feel bad about it . Now that I know that she isn ’ t carrying a child , I realize that I suddenly have one more thing to add to my prayer list .
“ And even if I was pregnant , who are they to say who should and should not have a baby ?” the woman continues to rant . “ A person can have as many as they want . Why are they worrying about it ? It ’ s not like they would have to take care of them .” She sighed and added , “ And I don ’ t know what ’ s gotten into my granddaughter today . She was so good during yesterday ’ s outing . Today she ’ s all over the place .”
Again , I sense that I need to be slow to speak . So I just nod to acknowledge her words and her right to vent . And vent she did … the whole time she conducted her business with customer service . We all got an earful that day .
Unfortunately , the woman let those people , combined with her rambunctious granddaughter , upset her so badly that she walked out the store moments later , leaving her wallet behind . Fortunately , she was still in the parking lot , so I was able to rush out and catch her just as she was strapping her granddaughter into the car seat . You should have seen her face . She looked extremely relieved to find me so helpful and most of all , so nonjudgmental . She instantly began to calm down . Amazingly , so did her granddaughter .
As we went our separate ways a few minutes later , I marveled at how important it is to know when to speak and when to remain silent
( Ecclesiastes 3:7 ). How we should always be quick to listen , but slow to speak and slow to become angry ( James 1:19 ).
We never know what people are going through and why . Nor do we know how deeply our words and actions can affect someone . Today I pray that you decide not to wound anyone with your words and actions , but instead LIVE WITH MORE wisdom , compassion , and love for others .
© 2014 by Suprina Frazier _________________________________
Some people know her by Suprina Frazier . Others by her pen name Mi ' Chelle Dodson . Regardless of which name she goes by , her books have been known to stir the soul , encourage the heart , and tickle the funny bone . They are Suprina ’ s way of entertaining , inspiring , and enlightening the masses through romantic fiction .