SAY NOTHING: THE BURDEN OF SILENCE

In Africa especially, we are well aware that it is not everything a palm wine tapper and a hunter sees that he says, for the good of the community. Should they say all they know, there shall be war. Similarly, in the church, the Priest is forbidden to say all he sees, hears and knows; so he bears that burden of silence on him until death, even when some of those whose terrible weaknesses he knows are fierce maligners and antagonists of his. Like a lamb led to the slaughter, he says and does nothing.

If these persons (priests), our own flesh and blood, men like us can bear this burden of silence for the good of their communities, we too ought to bear the same burden of silence for our own good, the good of our families and our communities. Some of us just talk too much, we feel compelled to say just about anything and everything, without considering what adverse effects what we say would have on those who hear it, or what reactions they could trigger. The four way test can be a useful filter for our thoughts, words and actions: Is it the TRUTH? Is it FAIR to all concerned? Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS? Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned? If any or all of these is answered in the negative, then whatever we want to think, say or do should be jettisoned or thrashed.

Talking about silence, I employ you to take a look at the blurt logo... Does it tell us anything??? I might not have answers as to why the lips of the angry looking guy is sealed but I can make out something out of it, and that is; in as much as freedom of speech is upheld on blurt, one must be guilded on what to say, probably the angry logo frowns at "Hate speech"... In like manner, I decided to cover my lips in the above picture to further stress the importance of silence.
It is sad that some marriages have crashed because a spouse or some people said something; some great friendships have ended because some people said something; some parish communities are at war because someone said something; even civil wars have engulfed some nations because someone somewhere said something he wasn't supposed to say, said something when he should have said nothing. Even far worse is that some of these self acclaimed moral champions will shut their mouths and "mind their business" when they see injustice and oppression. When they should say something, they will say nothing, and when they should say nothing, they will say something.

Let us learn when to say something and importantly when to say nothing even when it seems harmless. Bear the burden of silence.

Peace be with you!

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_{Posted from https://blurtlatam.com}