"Loud Mouth"

There are some loud mouth cowboys,

Their volume known to all,

They’ll tell you how to do it,

You don’t even have to call.

‘Cause they know more than others,

At least they think they do,

And if you’re apt to let ‘em,

They’ll dominate, it’s true.

They mostly crowd the cattle,

Tryin’ to work too fast,

And always hard on horses,

Their day help cannot last.

So if you can avoid ‘em,

That would save you grief,

Find folks who work quiet,

They’ll be a big relief.

The best I ever worked with,

Spoke less and yet said more,

And if you kept your mouth shut,

You’d learn from them, for shore.

And one more thing I’ll mention,

Before this verse is through,

This counsel works for cowboys,

But lots of others, too.

“A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare. The tongue of the wise makes knowledge appealing, but the mouth of a fool belches out foolishness.” (Proverbs 15:1-2, NLT)

The public arena is full of loud and angry words. We’ve almost gotten used to it, and that’s a shame. Now the air waves are full of dire health warnings that inspire fear and insecurity. It really matters who we listen to these days. Being an informed citizen and aware of serious issues is important. Being wise and having the facts about the corona virus is equally imperative. But to have our thinking dominated by voices simply because of their volume is nonsense. Let us listen for the quiet voice. Often the Holy Spirit seems to speak in a whisper, the “still, small voice.” His truth brings peace as well as wisdom. His love expels fear. And so do the people who listen to Him and allow Him to speak through them. Let that be us.

Lord, help us turn away from the loud, angry and fearful voices. Help us turn to the voices of peace, love and reason. Help us, above all, to listen to You, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Tyler Crow, tylercrow.com. Used by permission. Thanks, Tyler, and God bless you.