Proverbs 15:1: “A gentle (quiet) answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” (NIV)

Word-Reference definition of quiet:

• The quality or state of being quiet; tranquil
• To cause to be quiet (calm); to become quiet
• Silent
• Still or barely moving
• Making little or no noise or sound

Phrases with the word quiet:

• In a quiet manner
• Quiet storm
• Keep quiet about
• As quiet as a lamb
• Quiet down
• Quiet achiever
• Quiet place
• Quiet rest

Q: Quiet Quinn’s Story:

“Growing up in a Christian home with seven brothers and sisters was not easy for Quinn. There was constant chaos and loud talking during every hour of the day at her house. She longed for “blessed quietness” to study and do her homework. She often studied in her room which she shared with her sister or the local library where it was completely quiet.

At school Quinn had a few close friends but she was considered shy and an introvert by most. She kept her opinions to herself even when she had one. It wasn’t until her junior year in high school that Quinn finally found her voice. One of her English teachers who was in charge of the debate team program assigned every student a specific week/time throughout the school year to be on a team. Quinn was chosen for an assignment just before Spring break. She and her team members would have two weeks to prepare and come up with a strategy to debate the other team. Their topic would be “Christianity in Today’s Modern World.”

Quinn thought the topic would be an easy one since she was a Christian and had been taught about the meaning of salvation since she was a small child. However, after getting together with her team mates, there were varying degrees of opinions, including the very existence of God in today’s “modern society.” Her team was to research and come up with a unified explanation for debating the other team’s opposing argument.

After almost two weeks of discussion, Quinn’s team came up with a resounding unified conclusion and asked Quinn to represent their findings at the beginning of the debate. Quinn was hesitant until she remembered the scripture in Ecclesiastes 3:1, 7 which says, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven; a time to be silent and a time to speak…” This was Quinn’s time to “speak.”

The one-hour debate was a huge success and everyone from the community who attended that night was astounded at the debate between the two teams. Quinn had used her voice to speak up that Christianity was definitely relevant for today’s modern world for a number of reasons found in the Word of God.”

The Word of God tells us that we are to “give an answer for what we believe”–we need to speak up and not keep silent in today’s world and trust God to give us words of wisdom needed to reach others for Him.

May we all find our voices and speak up for Him the one who loves us all.

Blessings,

Yvonne