The Mr. Ed Doctrine


Before committng my life to the Lord in 1991, I worked primarily as a nightclub disc jockey.  Bar owners were usually difficult people to work for.  The first five clubs that hired me let me go after a short period of time, mostly for not talking enough.  I felt that club DJs should simply shut up and play the music.

The Bible has much to say about the power of the spoken word.  But that doesn’t mean increasing the amount of our words will make more of a difference.  Ecclesiastes 5:2 commands to “…let your words be few.”  When God spoke creation into existance, He didn’t utter a bunch of words but simply said, “Let there be…”  In Mark 4:39 when Jesus rebuked the wind, all He said to the sea was “Peace, be still!”

Consider these other Scriptures…

“In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise.” - Proverbs 10:19

“He who has knowledge spares his words, and a man of understanding is of a calm spirit.” - Proverbs 17:27

“And I appeal to you, brethren, bear with the word of exhortation, for I have written to you in few words.” - Hebrews 13:22

Nowadays whenever someone tells me I don’t talk enough, I respond by saying I follow “the Mr. Ed Doctrine.”  If you’re familiar with the old TV show’s theme song, you'll remember the talking horse never spoke unless he had something to say.  That’s good advice.

“But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.” - Matthew 12:36

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