“A wise man sits and listens to a fool talk.” was a piece of advise my grandfather gave me as his own interpretation of Proverbs 17:28. Even fools are thought to be wise when they keep silent; when they keep their mouths shut, they seem intelligent.

He had told me that proverb in hopes that I would become less fool and more wise; and his ears wore just worn out from listening to me talk. I remember as a kid I asked him in response, “What if the person talking is right? Doesn't that make him wise.” And then I just kept on talking...

One time Elijah was pressed into the wilderness and was struggling to hear the word of God for guidance in his life. He heard a tremendous wind, then an earthquake and then fire. God was not in those but was instead in a still small voice. Had Elijah been talking and not been quiet, he would have never heard the words of God.

1 Kings (NLT) 19:13. And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? 14. And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

Elijah was focused on what was going on around him. He was self focused and although his sphere of working involved God, he felt that he alone as available for God's work. God had to stop him and make him listen to God's plan for him. In the wake of the shooting on the campus of Virginia Tech the news is full of voices, but as they ramp up talk about what caused it, who's fault it is and what we can do to prevent it, I want us to stop and listen for just a minute.

If you listen closely, you will hear hopelessness. You will hear it on the lips of the children around you, the passer-by on the street, in the words of the TV commentator and in the lives of the people. How could this happen? How can we prevent it? What makes a person do these things? We know the answer to these questions, they are just unpleasant. The bible says that each and every one of us has that kind of wickedness in our own hearts. We may never be able to prevent these kinds of actions, but we have a platform to care for those in need now. There are a lot of students on that campus right now that are asking if there is anything more to life than eating and breathing. There are students here that are asking the same thing.

The Bible says that there is more to life than eating and breathing; more than labor and pay,; more than wealth and security; more than laughter and love; more than sickness and pain. The Bible says that God has a purpose for your life, that he will direct your efforts and bring blessing out of cursing, good out of bad, love out of hate and peace out of war. God loves to strengthen the weak and lift up the down cast. Listen to the words of the Lord.

Psalms (NLT) 25:4. Show me the path where I should walk, O Lord; point out the right road for me to follow. 5. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you. 6. Remember, O Lord, your unfailing love and compassion, which you have shown from long ages past.