Cold Bluster vs. Quiet Warmth

This morning, my Bible reading included a passage from 1 Kings, in which the prophet Elijah is in a cave on a mountain, waiting for God. There is a terrifying wind, tearing apart the mountain and breaking rocks, but God is not in the wind. Then there is an earthquake, shaking Elijah's surroundings and knocking him to the ground, but God is not in the earthquake. Following the earthquake is fire, consuming everything in its path, but God is not in the fire. Finally, all was quiet, so still Elijah could hear God's voice, soft and soothing, reminding Elijah that amid the chaos and upheaval, God is there, present and speaking.

This reminded me of a story I heard once. The sun and the wind were having an argument about which was more powerful. Not being able to settle the question, they looked to earth and saw a man walking with his coat on. The wind, confident of his powers, said, "See that man down there? Let's see which of us can remove the man's coat." The sun agreed, and suggested the wind go first. The wind summoned his coldest, strongest breath, and blew relentlessly at the man, who struggled to keep his footing. As the wind blew, the man leaned into it, pulled his coat more tightly around his body, and kept moving. Out of breath, the wind stopped blowing. The sun smiled at the wind and said, "It's my turn." Still smiling, the sun quietly peeked out through the clouds, shining warmly on the man in his coat. As the sun continued to shine, the man grew visibly more and more uncomfortable, wiping his brow and looking to the sky for any sign of a break in the heat. Finally, he let out a sigh, removed his coat, and slung it over his arm.

Often, we expect power and authority to come from the largest and loudest of sources. The lion has its roar, its claws, and its sharp teeth, but what about the tiny meerkat, who uses its cleverness and quickness to evade predators time after time? Politicians, while running for office, use raised voices and rhetoric to draw attention to themselves and garner votes, but even more powerful is the social worker who, despite budget and program cuts, is keeping families together, protecting children, and advocating for those the politician is marginalizing. A preacher shouting fire and brimstone from the pulpit may end up on YouTube, but he is nothing in comparison to a grandmother on her knees in prayer.

I've been called "quiet" many times in my life, and the word is seldom used as a compliment. It's hurt my feelings more than a few times, but I'm starting to get over it. Because I know that the words I say aloud are just the tip of the iceberg. When I'm not talking, I'm thinking. About what others are saying, and how that connects to other things I've heard or read. About the problems of the world and what can be done about them. About what I had for breakfast and what I'm about to have for lunch. About the myriad things my family has to do in the next few days. About people I haven't talked to in years or in mere minutes. About nothing. That thinking has power. Anything is possible in my thoughts. World hunger--wiped out. Equity for all--done. Care for the environment--embraced by everyone. Peace--achieved.

I'm not at all saying that I have solved the problems of the world. I wish I could solve even one. My point is that it's in quiet that ideas arise and become things. Nothing that has ever been done in the world has been done without first thinking about it. We don't even need to talk about something before putting it into action, but we must think about it. I can walk across the room and light a candle without expressing to the world what I'm about to do, why it's the best idea anyone's ever had, why I'm the best one to do it, the superiority of my candle to any other candle in the world, and how I invented the candle, the match, and (go big or go home) fire itself. To someone sitting in darkness, all those things might as well be true once that candle is lit. All it takes is the thought of light, and it's as good as done.

Dear reader, I challenge you to spend a little time in quiet. Thinking or not thinking, just spend some time being quiet. Don't let anything come in, don't let anything go out. It can be uncomfortable, and if you can do it for just a minute the first few times, you've made a good start. Increase your time as you're able, and just see what arises. You may hear God's voice, or you may solve the world's problems. Maybe you'll just be more comfortable being you. Let the power that comes through silence fill you in ways you've never imagined. Then use that power to fill others.