A silly-but-slightly-intriguing time waster while you're doing it: an Internet application to determine the words one uses most often in a conglomeration of postings. But then again, maybe it's at least a little enlightening.
I view the "top ten" words used by several others. Love. Happy. Hope. Work. We love our families, and we also love coffee. We are happy for last night’s snowfall, and hope you have a happy birthday. Words used in various contexts but that pepper our spoken and written conversations, and which reference our value systems.Not a bad beginning to a new year, after all, to examine the words we use most often. Not from a list on an Internet application, but from digging deep and reflecting on the majority of the words we use. What do they tell others about ourselves? Are they a true representation of what what we want to convey? As Paul explained it to the Colossians, our speech should always be "with grace, seasoned with salt . . . " (4:6). I relish that description for the pleasant gentleness associated with words of grace and the palatable addition of salt, which enhances their meaning or significance.
Our words can be a valuable adornment for the testimony of our lives, "apples of gold in pictures of silver" (Prov. 25:11). Most likely our written and spoken conversations could contain more affirmations, more encouragements, more truths, and more "soft answers" that deflect argumentation and negativity. More grace, seasoned with salt.
Thank you for giving me more things to be reflectant of and challenge why we say what we say.
ReplyDeleteWhat a blessing you are! This was very encouraging and once again shows what a "Mary" you are. What a blessing it was to have most of your family with us yesterday to begin our new year at Grace Baptist Church Sperry, OK! May God bless you in this new year as you continue to faithfully serve Him as your Lord and Master. Marge
ReplyDeleteAffirmation, encouragements and soft answers can accomplish so much more than harshness and negativity. Reminds me of the fable about the north wind and the sun each trying to get a man to remove his coat. What the north wind could not accomplish with his harsh, blowing ways was so easily accomplished by the gentle warming of the sun's rays. Thanks for the reminder!
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