When is Silence a Sin?

Leviticus 5:1

“If a person sins because he does not speak up … regarding something he has seen or learned about, he will be held responsible.”

Silence can be a sin. It is wrong to “mind my own business” 100% of the time. I am occasionally meant to mind your business. And together we are meant to mind the business of others who need us.

This is confronting. When I fail to say what I have seen (or what I know) and another person is hurt by this choice I am responsible.

Again I am reminded that my life is NOT about me. My eyes belong to others if I see something that needs to be reported for justice’s sake. My ears belong to my neighbour if I hear something that will save them from harm. My accountability is wide. Part of me belongs to you!

When should I speak up?

I am sure there are many different ways this verse applies but here is my short list. I share it with some trepidation because I do not lived up to it. I should speak up:

• When I can readily clear up a misunderstanding. If I saw something that would resolve a conflict, answer a tension or ease misunderstanding I should tell.
• To help others act justly. Sharing what I have come to know about slave labour in 2011, about fair trade products or about the millennium development goals can help others act justly and thus serve God's Kingdom. Make justice common talk.
• When my voice will serve the poor and the gospel. I visited East Timor a few years ago and I spoke about what I saw in church the very next Sunday. All our international missionaries do the same. They can’t help but talk about what they have seen.
• To serve truth. A witness at court is asked to tell the truth without omitting anything or adding anything to it; the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Jesus says this sort of truth telling can set people free (John 8:32).
• When God asks me to. There are endless causes. It is not my calling to study every issue and have a thousand opinions. However, I must learn to hear God’s gentle prompting and willingly follow the trail in which he leads me. I must find my voice for righteousness and speak up.  
• If I can defend you against wrong. If I see someone abuse you I am obliged to support you. If you learn that someone has wronged me, your duty is to speak up. This is God's vision of community.

The list convicts me. I fear I have been silent at times I should have spoken. It is hard to sort out the daily ethics of speaking up. And, it can be costly.

There are big risks in speaking up

I may be misunderstood. Or worse I may be censured. God wants me to speak up but people often don’t. If I speak up someone might lose money or power. My silence might be important for someone’s selfish agenda. I can think of a two biblical examples and one from yesterday's AGE.

Paul witnessed the oppression of a slave girl in Philippi. He learned that "she had a spirit by which she predicted the future" and she earned considerable money for her owners. Paul spoke up. He called on God for her healing. But when she could no longer tell fortunes her owners were furious. They tried to lynch Paul. (Acts 16:16-24)

Jeremiah spoke up in ancient Israel. He understood clearly where the prevailing government policies were leading. He boldly challenged the King. For this he was put in an unused waterhole, partially buried in mud and left to rot. Most of the Prophets in the Hebrew Scriptures experienced a similar fate (Jeremiah 38:1-13). 

THE AGE reported yesterday (30 March 2011) that "council officials had been threatened at home when trying to shut down illegal brothels using planning laws". It still costs to speak up. 

There are bigger risks in not speaking up

Martin Niemöller was a Lutheran Pastor who opposed Hitler and spent time in a Nazi war camp. He wrote some confronting words:

“First they came for the communists,
    and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
    and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,
    and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for me
    and there was no one left to speak out for me.”

These are chilling words. Lord, help me to speak up as I should. Keep me from the sin of silence. It won't be easy, but it is what God requires. And, it is better to obey God than people (Acts 4:18-20). 

Questions

• What do you fear most about speaking up?
• Has anyone ever spoken up for you at a critical moment?
• Is there something that you have “seen” or “learned”, about which you should be speaking up now?

Post Script

I just finished reading a John Grisham novel entitled “The Confession”. The Lutheran minister in the novel faces this very challenge. His obedience to the spirit of Lev 5:1 takes him on a wild adventure. It is a good read.