under the sun Ecclesiastes chapter six IX
"The more words you speak, the less they mean. So what good are they?" (Ecclesiastes 6:11).
A number of years ago, a prominent athlete for a well known sports team was criticized for some comments made following a particularly difficult loss. This athlete was well known as an outspoken Christian and someone who openly discussed his faith in Christ. However, this player was also known as a person who liked to talk at length and he was often quoted in the newspapers of that time.
In the locker room following the team's defeat, this athlete was asked to summarize the reason for his team's loss. The player proceeded to describe the team's failure in a manner that was later criticized as thoughtless and insensitive towards one particular group. In the face of that criticism, the athlete later apologized for his careless choice of words.
In the days following that episode, two fans were discussing the player's remarks. One fan had difficulty understanding why the player had chosen to say what he did. "I thought he was religious" the fan said. "Why would he say something like that?" The second fan replied by saying, "He is religious but when you talk as much as that guy does, it's only a matter of time before you say something stupid."
This real life parable helps to provide a good illustration for the verse quoted above. While the primary meaning of this passage involves a statement about the futility of life under the sun, there is a secondary application for those who are willing to look a little deeper. In saying, "The more words there are, the more pointless they become. What advantage do mortals gain from this?" (GW), the answer is assumed to be nothing. So this helps to remind us to choose our words carefully lest they multiply and devolve into something pointless.
Although the Teacher has already covered this theme within the book of Ecclesiastes, this basic idea is also found in other Scriptural passages as well...
"When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise" (Proverbs 10:19 NIV).
"Do you see a man who speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than for him" (Proverbs 29:20 NIV).
"My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry" (James 1:19 NIV).
In Matthew 12:36 Jesus said, "I can guarantee that on judgment day people will have to give an account of every careless word they say" (GW). That by itself should provide enough encouragement to think carefully before we speak.
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Except as indicated, all Scriptural references taken from The
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