Be Slow to Speak & Quick to Listen

(by Chris Musgrove of Future Now)

In Luke Chapter One we find the story of Zacharias the Priest. While in the Temple, the angel of the Lord appears to him to announce that he and his wife Elizabeth will have a child, which is John the Baptist. I want you to notice that the angel appeared to Zacharias while he was in the temple praying and the whole crowd outside the Temple was praying. In other words, God showed up while prayer was happening.

James 4:8: Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.

Luke 1:10-13: And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense. 11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John."

In verses 18-20 we see Zacharias’s response and what the angel says to his response.

Luke 1:18-20: And Zacharias said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.”19 And the angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. 20 But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time."

The key we need to see here is that Zacharias didn’t believe the angel and a person that doesn’t believe will talk and speak unbelief. I believe that’s the reason he wasn't allowed to speak until the angel’s words were fulfilled.

Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.”

Luke 1:59-64: And it occurred that on the eighth day, when they came to circumcise the child, they were intending to call him Zacharias after his father, 60 But his mother answered, "Not so! But he shall be called John." 61 And they said to her, "None of your relatives is called by that name." 62 And they inquired with signs to his father [as to] what he wanted to have him called. 63 Then Zacharias asked for a writing tablet and wrote His name is John. And they were all astonished. 64 And at once his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak, blessing and praising and thanking God.

After nine months of not being able to speak Zacharias had learned his lesson. He believed what the angel had spoken now.

James 1:19 says, “Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.”

Let’s all be slow to speak, and quick to listen!