Mark 9:6 - Better to keep your mouth shut

"He did not know what to say, they were so frightened." (Mark 9:6, NIV)

I have often had the experience of walking away from a conversation thinking "why did I say that?" Sometimes I say stupid things because the silence is awkward. Sometimes the stupid things are an attempt at making myself look good (and doing the exact opposite). But there are times when, like Peter, I am in a nerve wracking position and I talk to relieve my tension.

If I remember my New Testament history correctly, Mark used Peter as a source for much of the material for the Gospel that bears his name. Can you imagine Peter relating this story to Mark? "There we were, we were confronted with the Glory of God, scared almost to death, and you know what I said? . . . can you believe I said that?"

There is a proverb that I'm fond of but often fail to implement. "It is better to keep quiet and let them think you a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt."

"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." (Psalm 19:14, NIV)