BE QUIET

BY WALLACE CALEB BATES

Today's political climate makes me feel the same tension I felt during my time as an elementary school employee. I joked with a colleague recently that it feels like the moments when I'd have to holler, "Sit down and be quiet!" If you have ever worked in a classroom, you know what I mean. That environment could get loud and chaotic, and sometimes, the only way to restore order was to insist on quiet.

It struck me that this is not so different from the world we live in now. The noise is constant — arguments, opinions, and distractions everywhere you turn. It's overwhelming, and it's easy to feel lost in the chaos. In times like these, I find myself drawn to the words of Ecclesiastes 3:7: "A time to tear and a time to sew; a time to be silent and a time to speak."

I've always loved communicating. As a writer and a communication scholar, words are my craft and my passion. But lately, I've been reminded of the profound importance of quietness. Silence brings peace, serenity, and clarity. It's in those still moments that I most deeply feel God's presence, mercy, and grace.

I encourage you to embrace moments of quiet, too. Turn down the noise of the world around you. Let go of the tension, the need to speak or react to every situation. Instead, lean into the stillness and listen for what truly matters. In the quiet, you'll find that you are safe, cared for, and deeply loved.

This world may be loud, but we don't have to let the noise dictate our lives. Take a moment to reflect, to be silent, and to become keenly aware of your surroundings. In doing so, you may discover countless opportunities to make a difference right where you are.

Let us choose to be quiet, not out of apathy, but out of purpose. In the stillness, there is strength. And in the quiet, there is God. Let us be quiet. 

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