November 5, 2025 Voicing Your Opinion Fearlessly & Faithfully

On Voicing Your Opinion Fearlessly (and Faithfully) 

“A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing personal opinion.” - Proverbs 18:2 (NRSVUE) 

At work, we have a list of behaviors we should try to exhibit every day. One of them is to Voice Your Opinion Fearlessly - which, in my opinion, is one of the most interesting and controversial. After all, Proverbs 18:2 warns, “A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing personal opinion.” That sounds like the opposite of what we’re told to do! But not so fast - let’s unpack it. 

Opinions can range from “nothing on my end” to the extreme hot takes. I’ve been in far too many virtual meetings with ten people, where only three have their cameras on and say anything. “How much money did our company just waste on that meeting?” I find myself wondering. On the other hand, I’ve also seen a few people dominate conversations, swinging their opinions like wrecking balls ready to crush anything in a ten-foot radius. Maybe you’ve stood too close to one recently! 

This tension came to mind this week on Election Day, when our state and local governments essentially asked, “What’s your opinion?” These days, our feeds and news cycles are filled with more opinions than oxygen. Personally, I’m exhausted by them. I crave facts. I crave real discernment - not easy answers pulled off someone else’s opinion shelf. 

But where does that discernment come from? 

It’s tempting to think it comes from having the loudest voice or the most polished argument. But Scripture reminds us that discernment isn’t about volume, it’s about alignment. True wisdom comes from being aligned with the heart and mind of God. 

At home, I’ve been trying to help our kids learn this too. We subscribed to The Week Junior magazine partly because it features The Big Debate - two pages that present both sides of an issue and invite kids to think critically before voting online. I love that it teaches them to form opinions with curiosity and respect, and that their thoughts matter, even if they feel small at this stage in life. 

James 3:17 describes true wisdom this way: “The wisdom that comes from above is first pure, then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” That’s a far cry from the “hot takes” that dominate our culture. Wisdom rooted in God’s message listens before it speaks. It is opinion grounded in humility, not pride. 

So maybe the challenge isn’t to stop voicing our opinions, but to voice them fearlessly and faithfully - courageously when truth is at stake, but always with the tone and timing of Christ. 

Reflect: When do I tend to speak without truly listening? When have I stayed silent when truth needed a voice? How might I align my opinions more closely with God’s wisdom this week? 

Pray: Gracious God, teach me when to speak and when to listen. Give me courage to stand for truth and humility to do it in love. Let my words reflect Your wisdom: pure, peace-loving, and sincere. Amen. 

With faith, hope, and love,  
Eric Smith