The talk of fools is a rod for their backs, but
the words of the wise keep them out of trouble. Proverbs
14:3 NLT
Sometimes,
when I think I’ve said a lot, I realize I’ve said very little.
The
assignment was simple. Students were to write a short paper detailing three
things they felt strongly about. When they finished, I collected the papers and
re-distributed them to their peers to check for grammatical errors, redundancy,
and wordiness.
One young
lady approached my desk. “Doesn’t this sentence say the same as the previous
one?” she asked.
“It
does,” I replied.
A short
time later, she returned. “Doesn’t this sentence say the same thing, too?”
“Yes, it
does,” I said again.
With a
confused look and a sigh, she whispered, “But that only leaves one sentence in
the entire paragraph.”
I shook
my head and smiled, then gathered the class’s attention. “Class, life lesson.
Sometimes, when we think we have a lot to say, we have very little.”
The
student, whose paper was in question, laughed, but I was convinced.
Many are
the warnings God gives throughout the Bible with outright instruction or by
example about the potency of our words. Taking into consideration those
warnings, and noticing that I have two ears but only one mouth, I’ve concluded
it’s better to listen more than I talk. I’ll learn more, stay out of trouble,
and develop healthier relationships.
The
classroom exercise also reminded me of how crucial it is to choose carefully
the words we write or speak. Since wordiness and redundancy are rife, we must
ensure the ones we give out are worth listening to. Saying the most in the
fewest words is challenging and requires forethought, but it is possible.
Since
people’s attention spans are growing increasingly shorter, speaking or writing
with as few words as possible is wise. Otherwise, we’ll lose those to whom we
think we have something to say.
Words
also reflect our character—the people we are on the inside. I have a sneaky
suspicion the young student was attempting to take a shortcut. Since I require
a minimum of five sentences in a paragraph, they were shooting for the goal
rather than thinking about that which they felt strongly. However, a student
with a watchful eye foiled their attempt.
Make sure
the words you deliver are worth listening to.
Father,
may the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your
sight—and pleasant to others.
I invite you to try my book Grits, Grace, and Grands. If you have grands, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.
I invite you to try my book Grits, Grace, and Grands. If you have grands, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.
