This article is courtsey of HomeLife magazine.
The world has grown incredibly loud. Between angry opinions on social media, aggressive sales pitches on television, and all of the other things vying for our attention, the noise seems to be at an all-time high. Everyone is constantly rushing, trying to do everything and more, and still feeling like they’re coming up short. Don’t even get me started on the FOMO phenomenon.
I can still picture my grandmother sitting at her kitchen table drinking coffee and doing word searches. When she got tired of that she would crochet a little or bake some cookies. She couldn’t have cared less about whether or not someone was doing those things bigger or better. She would laugh at the absurdity of photographing her coffee in the hopes that someone she would never meet would like the photo.
How did things become so crazy? Why do we find ourselves frazzled and feeling overwhelmed? When did we get to a point where even our vacations are exhausting? I think it all comes down to the tendency we have to listen to the wrong voice.
Proverbs 1–10 describes the voice of folly or wickedness in great detail. We read in Proverbs 5:3-5 that the words of the forbidden woman are flattering and persuasive. But, in the end, they prove hollow and destructive. Proverbs 6:24 and 7:5 describe the forbidden woman’s words as smooth. This gives the impression that to entertain her company, for even a moment, would be like standing on the edge of a slippery slope.
The verse that really stands out to me, however, and led me into a great conversation with my children was Proverbs 9:13: “Folly is a rowdy woman; she is gullible and knows nothing.”
This is a great description of so many of the voices in our world today. Folly, or foolishness, is always stirring the pot. It’s boisterous, turbulent, and always causing a commotion. It’s an opinionated, finger-pointing spotlight seeker. There’s always drama and conflict surrounding it. To put it bluntly, foolishness is loud.
I had to stop and ask myself:
How often do I listen to the loudest voice?
Am I tempted to think someone is right because they shout the loudest?
Do I feel pressured to believe a certain way because one voice is demanding my attention?
Why is this the case for so many of us? The truth is that it’s hard to ignore a rowdy person.
"We need to choose the Lord’s voice over the loud voice. Let’s let go of things that promote noise and chaos in our lives. Let’s surround ourselves with people who exhibit the fruit of the Spirit in their attitudes and actions."
Stacy and Michael Edwards
Then, as if that wasn’t bad enough, the loud woman called folly is also ignorant. If we analyzed her words we would find that the author of Proverbs 9 is right. Folly is like a rowdy woman who knows nothing.
Her presentation is flashy but pointless. Her words are many but her message lacks substance. The end result of her teaching is destruction and her loud voice usually only serves to distract us from our devotion to the Lord.
There is a reason we’re told more than one time in Scripture to be still. (See Ps. 46:10.) Jesus knew what He was doing when He would often withdraw to desolate places to pray. Sometimes the best thing we can do is find some silence and stillness. We have to intentionally tune out the world and take in the Word. That’s where we find the voice that matters.
We need to choose the Lord’s voice over the loud voice. Let’s let go of things that promote noise and chaos in our lives. Let’s surround ourselves with people who exhibit the fruit of the Spirit in their attitudes and actions.
Perhaps we need to make a little room in our calendars for more coffee sipping, tea drinking, front porch sitting, and sunshine soaking. Let’s trade in our busyness for stillness and listen for His still small voice.
Lord, would You speak to us? Would You still our souls and quiet our minds until Your voice is all we hear? Help us to ignore the shouts of the ignorant. Give us discernment in regard to who we follow and whose advice we heed. May we choose Your voice over all others.