Friday, October 16, 2009

Rambling


The length of time it takes you to say something diminishes the potency of what you say exponentially.
Man, what does that mean?
It means to be concise in any conversation where you want to make a point. Think of it like the point of a needle. A multitude of words broadens the point until it is no longer a sharp, precise point, but a nub that doesn't penetrate.

God is good.
That simple statement is potent. But a rambling monologue of how and why and where and when and such and such and more and more diminishes not the truth, but the power of the truth.
The Bible tells us to avoid empty chatter.

Proverbs 10:20-22 (The Message)

20 The speech of a good person is worth waiting for;
the blabber of the wicked is worthless.

21 The talk of a good person is rich fare for many, but chatterboxes die of an empty heart.

And the Bible tells us to keep to the point.

1 Timothy 6:20 (The Message)

20-21And oh, my dear Timothy, guard the treasure you were given! Guard it with your life. Avoid the talk-show religion and the practiced confusion of the so-called experts. People caught up in a lot of talk can miss the whole point of faith.

So say what you mean and mean what you say. The point is to express yourself in a few words. You will influence people more than if you babble on and on and on and on and on . . .

And the best advice is to back it up with action. Be a living example of the influence of Jesus Christ.

2 comments:

adge said...

That's so true. Also it can be hard to listen to someone if they continuously use words where you are not sure what they mean.

Donita K. Paul said...

That's true, too. My kids have always had a great vocabulary because the household talks that way and because they are avid readers. But sometimes their friends ask them what a word they've used means. I subscribe to A word a day that sends an unusual word to me every day through email. I like it.