Speak up! It’s ok to let people know what you think or what you need. You don’t have to sit there in silence waiting for someone to notice that you have something to say or that you have a need. Speak up! It is not wrong, but there is a caveat; it has to be done in the right way. A bad attitude or a harsh tone can mask your words.
Reading through the passages above, I found a message that the Lord was trying to communicate to me. There are some great reasons to speak up and use my voice to deliver something good for my Lord.
Five Sisters Speak Up
Just before the crossing into the promised land five daughters of Zelophehad came before Moses. Their father had died in the wilderness and he had no sons to possess land in their father’s name. They spoke up and said:
Numbers 27:4 Why should the name of our father be done away from among his family, because he hath no son? Give unto us therefore a possession among the brethren of our father.
I am sure this was a bold move on their part. It was not customary for women to come independently before Moses AND make a request to take possession of land among their brethren. Many social barriers had to be overcome for them to find the strength to speak up, but they did. It is important to recognize that they were rewarded for their strength and how they presented their words. They made a clear request.
Numbers 27:6-7 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, The daughters of Zelophehad speak right: thou shalt surely give them a possession of an inheritance among their father’s brethren; and thou shalt cause the inheritance of their father to pass unto them.
David, the Psalmist Speaks Up
We need to speak up before our Lord. He desires to hear us and our requests.
Psalm 70:1 Make haste, O God, to deliver me; make haste to help me, O LORD.
Psalm 70:5 But I am poor and needy: make haste unto me, O God: thou art my help and my deliverer; O LORD, make no tarrying.
Reading the Psalm, we can hear the intensity of this request. “Make haste…make no tarrying.” We can turn to our Lord and come before his throne boldly and speak up. We can let Him know our needs and express our hearts. Not just in times of dire need, but daily.
Peter Speaks Up
It is a dark and scary time for the Lord’s disciples. The Lord has been betrayed by Judas and a band of officers has bound Jesus and taken Him to the high priest to be questioned. Peter lurked in the background wanting to know what was going to happen to his Lord, but not wanting to be noticed. Then someone noticed him and asked:
John 18:25 …Art not thou also one of his disciples? He denied it, and said, I am not.
When the threat of emotional or physical harm is upon us, it becomes easy to speak up and say something out of self-preservation. Peter denied that he knew the Lord to protect himself.
We need to exercise caution when we feel questioned or attacked. Our flesh will want to be protected and we will speak up and say something to defend ourselves. Most of the time, what comes out of our mouth will not be something that honors the Lord. We need to find the strength to speak up in truth even when we feel threatened.
A Wife Speaks Up
You might have heard that to be a good wife you have to be silent; never speaking up or expressing your thoughts. This is not true. Your husband loves you and wants to know your thoughts and dreams and your needs. BUT you have to speak up in the right way! He is not magically gifted with the ability to read your mind. If you believe that he should know what you want without having to say it, you are believing something that will bring you years of disappointment. Speak up!
If it is true that it is good to speak up and that you have something valuable to say, you don’t want your words to be lost or masked by tone or decibel level. As women, when we feel frustrated or hurt, we have a way of speaking up that is self-defeating. Our tone becomes harsh, loud, demanding, and disrespectful.
Proverbs 19:13 … the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping.
Nagging is defined by tone and frequency, and while nagging might be considered speaking up you will never get your thought communicated. Your words are important, your needs are real, your ideas are enlightening, and your opinions matter. Control your tone and disposition so your words can be heard. Speak up with respect. Speak up with thoughtfulness. Speak up with boldness and truth.
Related Bible Passages:
Numbers 27
Psalms 70
Proverbs 19
John 18
Have a face to face conversation with your Lord:
Lord, what needs do I have that I have kept to myself hoping that someone will notice?
Lord, why am I afraid to speak up?
Lord, when do I lose control of my tone and let it mask my words?
Lord, I know you give me wisdom and I know you give me good direction. Help me to speak up at the right moment, with thoughtful words and with a tone that helps me communicate what you have given me…
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Glory, Strength, & Beauty 