Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Well, aren’t you going to answer these charges? What do you have to say for yourself?” But Jesus remained silent (Matthew 26:62-63, NLT).
Silence is a sword unseen because it is a word unspoken or an action untaken.
While words have great power, remaining silent can pack a punch too.
Jesus knows full well how difficult it is for us to remain silent when our flesh desires nothing more than to defend ourselves. Consider how He endured false charges. Remember the attempts to tarnish His character and calling. Yet He remained silent.
When someone treats us unkindly and we choose to remain silent, the sword of God’s love slashes through the spiritual realm. God’s victory is established when we refuse to take justice into our own hands and wield our words as weapons that wound.
Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Nonviolence is a powerful and just weapon, which cuts without wounding and ennobles the man who wields it. It is a sword that heals.” Silence is a sword unseen. It is a sword that heals. While wielding the sword of silence may seem difficult, we have been given power from God:
By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. (2 Peter 1:3, NLT)
In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, …and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance …and brotherly affection with love for everyone (2 Peter 1:5-7, NLT).
God has given us everything we need to live with moral excellence and self-control, including the self-control to remain silent. Think of a situation where God can use your silence as a sword. What justice will God execute when you wield the sword that heals?
*Adapted from Girls with Swords: How to Carry Your Cross Like a Hero (WaterBrook Press, 2013).
