Day 12: What You Talkin' 'Bout?

When you Google the question "How many words does the average person speak in a day?" the answer isn't too surprising. Most experts say that women speak about 20,000 words in a given day and men only 7,000. Without getting caught up on the disparity between male or female tongues, hearing that statistic prompts the next thought in my mind: "How many of those words are meaningful?" If I think back on my day, all of the "hello's" and random "did you know's" don't amount to much. At the end of the day, I have 20,000 chances to say what is the question I have been asking myself. Gary Coleman's famous line from the 1970's TV show Different Strokes rings in my ears: "Whatchootalkin' 'bout, Willis?!" Are these 20,000 ways that I've changed someone's life for the better? Or at least 500? Are these 20,000 ways where God got the glory? Or did He at least get a tithe of my words (i.e. 10%)? Or are these 19,990 empty epithets and passing thoughts? We tweet and update our statuses on a daily basis--a whole lot of words but are we saying anything? Proverbs 12 gives us pause saying:

          14a - Wise words bring many benefits...
          19a - Truthful words stand the test of time...

Both have to do with the words that we choose to use each and every day. Both have to do with the weight of words in our life. As you think of how you will spend tomorrow's seven or twenty thousand word "allotment", won't you consider that the ultimate test of your words is if they bring benefits? Who will be impacted for the good? The ultimate test of your words is if they stand the test of time. Will you speak life into someone's existence and hold your tongue on nay-saying? God being The Truth spoke approximately 774, 746 words (the Bible) that stand the test of time. Every Word He utters into your spirit, every assurance and every promise is "yeah and Amen" (2 Corinthians 1:20). You can bank on it! And while we may not be God, we have an opportunity each and everyday to use the breath He breathed into us wisely. Tomorrow, as you speak, remember to make at least a few of your words bankable.

Be encouraged to speak life.

Blessings,
MinD