Look inside a hot air balloon. What do you see? Nothing.

The balloon is full of hot air.

The air keeps the balloon going. We hear sound as the burner keeps filling the balloon with air. However, we see nothing.

When people talk a lot but say nothing important, we say they are full of hot air.

They talk foolishness. Like the noise of the air going into the balloon, we might also say they talk to hear their heads roar.

Such people can be fun for a while, but they do us no good if we want to learn. If we desire intelligent conversation, we look for someone else.

What about us?

How often are we full of hot air?

As Abraham Lincoln said, “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.”

If we have nothing useful to add to a serious conversation, perhaps we should keep quiet.

“Entirely out of place is obscene, silly, and vulgar talk; but instead, let there be thanksgiving” (Ephesians 5:4 NRSV).

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