Proverbs 24:7 "Wisdom is too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate."
Let me quote the New Testament in the beginning of this writing.
"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to
speak, slow to wrath." (James 1:19) I seem to be quoting James a great
deal as we travel through the book of Proverbs. There is a time to speak
and a time to refrain from speaking. There is a time to listen and then process
what has been said. James tells us to be quick to listen. I won't go back
on my soapbox about the gift of listening is fast fading away. (Oops, I just
got on that box, didn't I?) We are to keep two ears open and sometimes
keep our mouths shut. That's pretty straight words, but it's true. Not
everything needs to be answered by me. And most times, I need to be listening
instead of thinking about what I'm going to say. And then when I do not like
what I am hearing, I need to be slow to let my anger speak for me. These are
hard lessons, but very important in our daily lives. I have learned that I can
learn much more by listening than by speaking. Solomon states,"One who is
in the presence of wisdom, but lacks understanding, does not need to engage in
that conversation." The gate of the city is where the men of wisdom
would gather and give advice and answer questions of people. It is best
to recognize wisdom when in the presence and learn to take it in. There is a
saying, "It is better to keep my mouth closed and be thought a fool than
to open my mouth and remove all doubt." Wisdom is a high achievement
and one to be sought after. Again I say, it comes in the presence of
Jesus.