September 4, 2022 . . .
I read a quote this week that read, “Everyone is an expert until you really need an expert.” There is a lot of truth in that sentence. In our world of hot takes and angry retorts, it seems nearly everyone is ready to offer their opinions on subjects that range from climate control to politics and everything in between. When he heard a barking dog, my father would often say, “That dog’s barking just because he has a mouth.” Another piece of esoteric advice my dad offered was, “Just because you CAN say something about something doesn’t mean you should.” These statements could apply to folks today as well. This just in, I know very little about infectious diseases, global warming, economics, warfare, politics, baking bread pudding, and a host of other topics. When these subjects come up in conversation, I would probably do well to keep my mouth, phone, and computer keyboard silent and “let the grown folks do the conversating”. Turns out, God says quite about this as well. “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a foolish word stirs up anger” (Proverbs 15:1), or my personal favorite, “A passerby who becomes emotionally involved in someone else’s quarrel is like one who grabs a dog by the ears” (Proverbs 26:17). The Plank’s paraphrase of that verse is “mind your own business or get dog bit”! If you read the book of Proverbs for any length of time, you will see many other nuggets that speak to this very subject. Just one more piece of sage wisdom, “Never waste a good opportunity to shut up.” My dad didn’t say that one, Yogi Berra did, but it sums up the subject matter well. So, kids, after reading and hearing a bunch of less than expert advice on a lot of different subjects this week, my goals are to speak less, listen more, and contribute where I can make a difference.
Be blessed and be a blessing . . . Bro Andy
