When Walking Away Makes Sense

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Stay away from stupid and senseless arguments. These only lead to trouble and God's servants must not be troublemakers. They must be kind to everyone, and they must be good teachers and very patient.
(2 Timothy 2:23-24 CEV)

Today's instant communication culture breeds hostility. I'm guilty and so are you. We see or read something we don't like and we feel compelled to comment or send a text that we later regret.

I enjoy a good discussion so yes, I will comment from time to time on the things that interest me. But I must always be careful with the nature of WHAT I say and HOW I say it. Remember, if you are a Christian you are called to serve a God that clearly tells us to be kind, to be a good teacher, and to be patient.

What does that look like? For me, it means to first think about the other person when I communicate. Am I being kind or rude? Selfish? Self-serving? Are my words considerate? Second, if in a position to lead, is my teaching kind? Am I clear in how I communicate? Never assume the other person knows your personality. More and more communication is electronic and body language is unavailable. Be careful with what you say.  And last, show patience. This includes being humble enough to know when you might be wrong and to apologize. You read that right. You might be wrong! Never be afraid to admit that. It makes you a better person and a better leader. Be patient with others. It's easy to fire back some hurtful words when the other party says something bad but remember, "Stay away from stupid and senseless arguments". Know when to walk away and let it go.

Thanks for reading.

Words Matter

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"And never let ugly or hateful words come from your mouth, but instead let your words become beautiful gifts that encourage others; do this by speaking words of grace to help them."

(Ephesians 4:29 TPT)

I've always been a believer in the adage that our words can speak either victory or defeat to those we influence. In my days writing broadcast news, I knew that the opening line had the power to grab a person's attention and move them to action.  Today, as someone who leads others, I choose words carefully so as to give value to those who are listening.

If you really want to make a difference in someone's life, speak words of victory to them. Look for their good qualities, their unique gifts, and remind them how amazing they are. The world spends enough time tearing us down. Advertisers tell us we're not good enough, co-workers with negative attitudes complain about the leadership and how they are never getting ahead, and the news media reports about how awful things are.  As you drive, you see billboards enticing you to want more. Your electronic devices are collecting information about everything you do on them so as to influence you to do what others want you to.

Make it stop. Give your friends and family some real face time and tell them how special they are. For that matter, be careful how you speak to yourself! Negative talk leads to negative results. The automaker Henry Ford was quoted as saying: "Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right."

Whoever said "words can never hurt me" lied. Words matter. Choose them carefully and spend them wisely.

Thanks for reading!