​Principle 2. Use few words that give goodness.
Titus 2:8 sound in speech which is beyond reproach,

Imagine getting an invitation from your favorite, world-renown chef to dine with him at his estate tonight.

You arrive and are ushered in to a beautifully appointed dining room, candlelight and all. Across the length of the table are covered silver platters, steaming and ready to go. Some aromas you recognize, others are a bit, shall we say, exotic.

Mr. Chef welcomes you warmly, seating you at the head of the table. This is going to be GOOD!
You reach for the lid on the platter nearest you only to find a heap of overcooked noodles dripping with a thin, brownish sauce smelling of rotting anchovies. Replacing the cover you begin search for ANYTHING that resembles something edible.

What just happened here? There was every reason to expect good food. The man was known for serving up the best. But this experience left you confused, frustrated, and looking for an all-night diner on the way home to satisfy your growling tummy.  

Really, though, any chef worth his salt would never let a guest leave his table empty. NEVER. He would do his best to set before his company food that was worthy of his reputation and offer a plate that brought nourishment to the body.

We are like that expert chef, only we are efforts should result in sound speech that blesses our companions. Here are four insights on Principle #2 of giving worth to our words – use few words that give goodness:

“Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, and apply your mind to my knowledge; 18 For it will be pleasant if you keep them within you, That they may be ready on your lips.” Proverbs 22:17-18 (NASB)
Worthy, godly words are like a chef’s signature dish. Each component is useful and pertinent to the whole meal. When we speak, it should be as a result of thoughtful consideration for the hearer and the needfulness of our words.

“Pleasant words are a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” Proverbs 16:24 (NASB)
Our listeners should find benefit in what we say, not detriment. It’s worth it to use discretion in what we say and how we say it.

“He who restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.” Proverbs 17:27 (NASB)
A gourmet meal has the right amount of everything without over filling the dish. Use enough words to get your point across without dominating the conversation.

“When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise.” Proverbs 10:19 (NASB)
A chef knows what food will make a meal balanced and enjoyable. Leave people wanting to hear more from you, not less. Give room for the Holy Spirit to speak to someone’s heart. You and I simply cannot compete with the wisdom of the Spirit of God.
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Believe it or not, the people of the world expects Christians to live and talk differently than they do. We’ve been given good things to share with those around us: joy, truth, love, faithfulness, to name a few. Let’s allow the Lord to give us the wisdom and understanding to find the best way to serve up words of His Goodness and reflect His glory to the world in which we live.

​“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” Proverbs 18:21 (NASB)

I’ve been working at WBYN/1075Alive in Boyertown, PA as an on-air host/announcer since 2014. God opened the door for me to work at this local Christian radio station without prior radio experience. I got on-the-job-training which was at times nerve wracking and exhilarating. Old dogs can be taught new tricks, but they’ll definitely need a nap afterwards.  

Timing made the opportunity surface, my experience in speaking made it sustainable. I’ve always enjoyed acting and presenting before groups of people from grade school on. I’ve addressed numerous women’s gatherings and retreats in the past 30 years.  I take pleasure in the process of communicating the hope we have in Christ, through my face, body, and voice.

Radio work, however, required a tweak to my communication technique. Now I must carefully and thoughtfully invest in every word I say and how I say them. My comments are to be brief (no more than 2 minutes, at the very most). My observations must be worthy to be heard. After all, death and life are in the power of the tongue.

Over the next four weeks I’m going to share 4 basic principles I learned from my on-air training that helped me to give worth to my words.

Principle 1.  Respect the mic. The mic is always on. Even when it’s not, it is.

Eccl 3:7b A time to be silent and a time to speak.

Respect the mic was the first instruction I got in my announcer preparation. Even if I finished my statement and turned the microphone off I was told to always consider the mic to be hot, or on. This discipline helps to avoid any embarrassing situations that could arise. In the beginning I had a habit of growling at myself if I blundered. One time I did it right into the microphone, not remembering I had not turned it off. From then on I found myself keeping my mouth closed unless I was speaking on air.

Respecting my “mic time,” means that my words should be given so as to build up and edify rather than tear down and discourage. Verbally I want to “do good and not harm” to my listener. And since The Lord is everywhere at all times, He hears not only the audible in our lives, but the inaudible in our hearts and minds, too. There’s a comfort and a caution in that.

To sound pleasant on air you must talk with a smile. Try it sometime. You can make any topic sound wonderful if you say it with a smile. Emotions will transfer to our message. Just as the mic picks up the tone of our voice, aka the smile, the Lord and those around us pick up on the intangible markers of stress, frustration, anger, gentleness, kindness, and love.

Have you ever yelled at your child for the umpteenth time to pick up their Legos when the phone rings? (Raises hand-been there, done that) Hopefully your kids know that when you get off the phone with your smiley voice you’ll have some of that smile leftover for them. What we say and how we say it live in the hearts and minds of the listener.

Having the mic is a privilege and a responsibility. My place behind the microphone is similar to having the floor in a business meeting or standing on the platform addressing an audience. It may be an audience of one toddler and a pre-teen, but speaking one-on-one is just as significant as broadcasting to an audience of 200,000.  
       
“A soothing tongue is a tree of life, but perversion in it crushes the spirit.” Proverbs 15:4 (NASB)

We are a broadcasters of God’s goodness, where ever we are.
People are tuned into us.
God is tuned into us.
The voice and the spoken word are powerful tools. Our words have the potential to be life-giving or they can bring despair, shame, and hopelessness. Words live.

Let’s use our “mic time” for the glory and praise of Jesus Christ and have tongues trained to offer soothing words that give life and hope to our listeners.

​The wise men from the East gave so much of themselves to see the Child that had been born to Israel. Time, effort, gifts, and safety – all were considered an investment in finding the Treasure indicated by an incredible star. They were not disappointed!

Though the offerings of the Magi had immediate and tangible benefits for Jesus and His parents, I find there is one place in the Bible where we see all three items together and makes sense as a testimony to Jesus the Christ: the Holy of Holies.  Specifically, it is the Mercy Seat that set atop the Ark of the Covenant where gold, frankincense, and myrrh join together.

This was the place where the Lord promised to meet with Moses, as stated in Exodus 25, "You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony which I will give to you. 22 "There I will meet with you; and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, I will speak to you about all that I will give you in commandment for the sons of Israel.” (Exodus 25:21-22, [NASB] )

The Mercy Seat was made of solid gold. It was anointed with holy oil made with myrrh.  Frankincense, an aromatic resin, was burned to give off a fragrant aroma pleasing to God, and used so that “the cloud of incense may cover the mercy seat that is on {the ark of} the testimony” (Lev. 16:13 [NASB] ) as the High Priest sprinkled it with blood from the sin offering and prayed once a year on the Day of Atonement for himself and the people of Israel. Year after year.

Though we have no direct indication that the Magi chose their gifts with specific intentions, it would seem that the same God who set a special star in the heavens for them to follow 1,400 miles could impress upon them the idea of giving these unique presents to a royal child.

I believe that the gifts were themselves prophetic, indicating the purpose of Jesus’ mission for redeeming sinful mankind. Everything was there, save the acceptable, sacrificial blood.

In Hebrews 2:17  we read, “Therefore, He[Jesus] had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.” (NASB) Propitiation (the act of appeasing the wrath of God because of sin) could only be done through blood sacrifice. Jesus’s death on the cross was the last atoning sacrifice ever needed. Fully accepted by The Father.

The Apostle John wrote in 1 John 2:2 “and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for {those of} the whole world.” (NASB) Through Jesus’ death on the cross and the shedding of His blood, EVERYTHING was done perfectly according to the Law so that the whole world might gain access to the Throne of Grace and our Heavenly Father. Jesus is our All in all!

John continues, “By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son {to be} the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” (1 John 4:9-11 [NASB] )

God’s unfathomable love reaches to our deepest, darkest recesses, bringing light and forgiveness of sins. The Gift of salvation just needs to be acknowledged and received.

Because of Christmas we can say with confidence, “… and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1:8-9 [NASB] )

May you know this inexpressible joy and hope of glory found in Jesus Christ.

May you find that when the presents are gone, His Presence remains.