Without words…

We were sitting in the parking lot of Chicfila, almost a decade ago.

I was spilling my heart out to my friend and mentor.

Things were a little rocky at home with my marriage. Not terrible, but I was frustrated.

I could not wait to talk to my wise friend and I could not wait for her to tell me how RIGHT I WAS and how WRONG HE WAS.

Finally, I finished my spill to her. I gave her all the details, not sparing a word.

She looked at me, sweetly, and she asked me to open my Bible to 1 Peter 3:1.

Ummm, Ok.

This was not what I was expecting. I was wanting her to tell me what a wonderful and patient wife I had been and how my husband was all in the WRONG.

She didn’t say any of those things to my bewilderment.

A little annoyed, I grabbed my Bible and flipped to the back of the book looking for 1 Peter 3:1.

I read it when I found it.

She kindly said, “Now, read it again, but read it out loud. Just the last sentence of the passage.”

My armpits were starting to sweat and my organic deodorant was beginning to crumble under my suddenly hot sweater.

Clearing my throat, I read the last sentence.

“husbands may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives,”

She then said, “notice how it says without words…”

Honestly, at that moment I was without words.

My cheeks flushed and I felt a little tinge of conviction.

Well, maybe a big tinge of conviction.

My wise friend did not have to fill my head with advice, she just pointed me to God’s Word.

So simple. So powerful.

I will never ever forget that moment.

The Lord used her in a gigantic way that day.

Every time I talk to a friend now, I think of her words.

Advice is okay, but pointing others to His Word is what we all so desperately need most.

I think about Job’s friends in the Bible.

They spent hours and days doling out advice and so-called wisdom.

Yet, they were all wrong.

I wonder what would have happened if they would have just been “without words” and just sat and prayed and pointed Job to The Lord.

There will be times when advice and wisdom are needed when we are counseling a friend.

However, we must make sure our advice and words are pointing them to Jesus.

Truth and understanding will only be found in God’s Word.

As women, we can be wordy.

We may have good intentions, but our words and advice can overshadow them looking to Jesus for wisdom and help at times.

Let’s be women who point others to Jesus.

Let’s be careful of the words that come out of our mouths.

Just like my friend that day, let’s use fewer words and let His Word do the talking.

A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even-tempered. Proverbs 17:27

less is more,

jill