Mark 9:6 Shut Up!

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

Do you know someone who has foot in mouth disease? You know the person, who always seems to say the wrong thing at the wrong time. They seem to miss the context of the conversation, or they don’t seem to be clued into the conversation at all.

Some people are very good at this kind of wrong place, wrong time kind of comment. But that is not what happens in our text today. Their fear caused our speaker to speak. Not usually a very good thing, by the way.

Fear has a tendency to push our hearts and thoughts in the wrong direction. And it seems like this happens all too often. We end up in a downward spiral that can be very hard to pull out of in the moment. We are like the pilot who gets disoriented and thinks up is down and down is up and pulls the stick instead of pushing it, crashing into the ground.

Jesus has pulled back the curtain on His deity and his inner circle of disciples are witnessing it. And they are just like us. They don’t know what to say. What can you say when you come face to face with God?

But one of them hasn’t learned the lesson. He hasn’t learned that there are times when the best thing to say is nothing. Silence is the appropriate response to seeing God. Sometimes the best thing to do is to shut up!

But Peter hasn’t mastered this skill. He opens his mouth and out flow the words. “Let’s build three condos for the three of you.” How can beings who are manifesting the glories of heaven be contained in any earthly dwelling. Even the Tabernacle couldn’t contain God. His presence radiated upward and outward from that tent.

I remember a time in my own life when shutting up was the last thing I thought about. I would often say the wrong thing at the wrong time. My mind was always jumping ahead and then I would speak from that other place. I would often get weird looks when I opened my mouth.

My wife has been a very calming influence on my ADHD mind. She has helped me reign in my mouth. I’m not completely silent when I should be, but I am much better than I used to be. I think I have some of Peter in me!

Our text tells us that Peter didn’t know what to say. That should have been a clue. Say nothing.

This is a good lesson for us to learn. When we don’t know what to say, say nothing. Silence can be the perfect antidote to whatever is happening. Sometimes people need silence more than they need words.

I know that in times of grief, people don’t need our platitudes, our shallow verbal pats on the back. What they need is people who are willing to just be with them in their time of grief. Words will always fall short. Our presence, especially in silent service is usually the best thing we can bring.

The story would have been quite different if Peter had been silent rather than speaking. If they had been willing to simply be present, think of the truths they could have learned in those moments in the presence of Jesus in His glorified state. What would that have been like?

But they missed it! Peter was too busy talking to just be present. What have we missed because we felt compelled to talk. Maybe we should listen more.