Dec 18

Written by: tim
12/18/2009 10:23 AM 

Have you ever started writing an email or even a "regular" letter to someone, edited it three or four times, argued with yourself 14 times and then never sent it?  Maybe you've had the opposite experience where you've pounded out exactly what you meant to say, sent it and then had it fly back in your face.  Have you ever spoken words that you regret even before they're finished leaving your lips?  "Did I say that?"

Our words are important!  We have moments where we choose our words carefully because we're well aware of the impact they can have.  Someone might be crushed or elated because of what we say.  You can be hired, fired, dumped, loved, rejected, accepted, admired or respected all because of what you reveal about yourself through your words.  When we don't give our words a second thought we really open ourselves up to responses that are just as thoughtless and damaging.

I must say that I have no argument with the idea that actions are more important than words.  I would also like to add that character, honesty and commitment all surpass words in their level of importance.  What our words truly do is reflect what we believe, think and feel; they are windows to our minds.

"No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 Each tree is recognized by its own fruit.  People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. 45 The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks."  - Luke 6:43-45

In our world filled with text messaging, emails, facebook and every other form of the written word we must carefully consider what we communicate by what we write.  We have freedom of speech, how are we using it?  Our words have some level of impact on every person we talk to and often times more than we realize. 

With that in mind I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!