The talk of fools is a rod for their backs, but the words of the wise keep them out of trouble.
~Proverbs 14:3 NLT
Sometimes, when I think I’ve said a lot, I haven’t. Too many words often signal an abundance of unnecessary words and a dearth of meaningful words.
The assignment was simple. Students were to write a short paper detailing three things about which they felt strongly. When they finished, I collected the papers and re-distributed them to their peers to check for grammatical errors, redundancy, and wordiness.
One young lady approached my desk. “Doesn’t this sentence say the same as the previous one?” she asked.
“It does,” I replied.
A short time later, she returned. “Doesn’t this sentence say the same thing, too?”
“Yes, it does,” I said again.
With a confused look and a sigh, she whispered, “But that only leaves one sentence in the entire paragraph.”
I shook my head and smiled, then gathered the class’s attention.
“Class, life lesson. Sometimes, when we think we have a lot to say, we have very little.”
The student, whose paper was in question, laughed, but I was convinced.
Throughout the Bible, God repeatedly warns—through direct instruction and example—about the power of our words. Considering those warnings and noticing that I have two ears but only one mouth, I’ve concluded it’s better to listen more than I talk. I’ll learn more, stay out of trouble, and develop healthier relationships.
The classroom exercise also reminded me of how crucial it is to choose carefully the words we write or speak. Since wordiness and redundancy are rife, we must ensure the ones we give out are worth listening to. Saying the most in the fewest words is challenging and requires forethought, but it is possible.
Since people’s attention spans are increasingly shorter, speaking or writing with as few words as possible is wise. Otherwise, we’ll lose those to whom we think we have something to say.
Words also reflect our character—the people we are on the inside. I have a sneaky suspicion that the young student was attempting to take a shortcut. Since I required a minimum of five sentences in a paragraph, they were shooting for the goal rather than thinking about what they felt strongly about. However, a student with a watchful eye foiled their attempt.
Make sure the words you deliver are worth listening to.
Wise words, Martin. Thank you.
Truth.
A prayer I often pray, Lord, set a guard upon my mouth. Help us Jesus!
Many Bible verses rely on parallelism, like Proverbs 3:5 – Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding (NIV). But typically the parallel phrase provides clarity or expounds on the first phrase.
Good word, Martin – speak less, listen more.
Great topic, Martin. I applaud your mentioned student’s inquisitive nature and hope she wasn’t also aiming to bypass your ‘few words = more’ lesson process.
Proverbs 14:3 . . . but the words of the wise. The wise use their words to lift and edify.
See what I did there? Lift and edify share some meaning, yet have deeper individual meaning. Parallelism and clarification through the use of symbolism and metaphor are rampant throughout the Bible and revered (and wordy) literary novels.
Are they worthless?
I believe Proverbs 14:3 refers to a fool’s prideful speech. As distinct parts of the body of Christ, writers and teachers are called to share unique messages, albeit with wisdom.
I’m thankful Jesus hears every word and is always there to listen.