Our family has given excessive talking a dignified name, we call it “dribble.” I know people who can dribble for hours, talking about absolutely nothing. They fill the conversation (and my time) with endless details and irrelevant facts, monopolizing a discussion. Often, I’ll leave a discussion wondering what, if anything of value, I have learned. There must have been dribblers back when the Bible was written because even God has advice for them:
- The wise in heart accept commands, but a chattering fool comes to ruin. (Proverbs 10:8)
- When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise. (Proverbs 10:19 NIV)
- A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions. (Proverbs 18:2 NIV)
Before you start pointing a finger at dribblers you know, are you a dribbler? When was the last time you found yourself chattering about nothing? When should you have held your tongue instead of blurting out? How often do you find your “foot in your mouth?” The older I get, the more I see the value in listening to others. If you’re an experienced dribbler, why not try listening instead of speaking? You might find you have a lot of excess time to do other things!
