I have always been a talker.  In fact, I had something to say before I could ever say an intelligible word. My parents claim that I was born talking and haven’t stopped since. I guess I do deserve the statements made about me over the years: “she has the gift of gab”, “great student, talks too much”, “never comes up for breath”, “queen of gab”….I suppose that it makes since that I became a teacher – an English teacher specifically – since I have such an affinity for words! Yet, as I have grown as a person, I have learned that talking for talking sake is counterproductive at times. If I want people to really hear something I want to say, I need to make my words fewer. I need to be a person who “says something” when I talk. When I talk, it needs to be meaningful not just words to fill the silence. Now, I don’t claim to have mastered this trait yet, but I do believe that I am making a little progress…(one of the benefits of age – I don’t NEED to talk all of the time.) 

What does it mean to “say something” you might ask? Here are few guidelines that I am learning to embrace and hoping to make my MO as the years go on:

1. Only say what is helpful and beneficial for the building up of others. “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Eph. 4:29
2. Only say words that are true! “Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also taught the people knowledge; he pondered, searched out, and arranged many proverbs. The Teacher searched to find delightful sayings and to record accurate words of truth. Eccl. 12:9-10; Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
3. Only say words that are led by the Spirit. “This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.” I Cor. 2:13
4. Choose my words wisely not carelessly. It is so easy to throw around words without thinking which is a sure fire way to “say something” you don’t really mean or feel! “The good man brings good things out of his good store of treasure, and the evil man brings evil things out of his evil store of treasure. 36But I tell you that men will give an account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.” Matt. 12:35-36
5. Only say what is loving, forgiving, kind, patient, peaceful, …In other words, speak what is a reflection of Christ. Do (and say) everything in the name of Jesus. If He wouldn’t say it, neither should I! “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, ¹³ bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. ¹⁴ And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. ¹⁵ And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. ¹⁶ Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. ¹⁷ And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Col. 3:12-17