​…So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, 20  by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, Deuteronomy 30:19-20 NASB

Some choices are hard. Like how DO you choose between chocolate or caramel to put on top of your ice cream? Why not both? Or which Agatha Christie murder mystery to watch tonight? Every. Night.

But then there are those choices that should come instantly. If I’m hungry, I eat. If I’m cold, I get warm.
Easy-peasy.
A no-brainer.
Totally obvious.

In our life as Jesus followers, however, we can be so dull in understanding, so slow in responding, that our Lord has to go out of his way to explain all the plusses and minuses that our answer will ensue. The clearer the picture between Choice 1 and Choice 2, the easier our response should be.
Right?

Read through Deuteronomy 30 and note how many times the Lord puts forth and reiterates His magnificent Let’s-make-a-deal offer to His people. Only there are no doors hiding these prizes. His choice for His people is reunion, restoration, and compassion. Abundance and prosperity would be the hallmarks of their existence.
The result for rejecting His offer? Adversity and death.

Seems like an obvious pick to me. Who would really choose the dire consequences for rejecting true life?   

This struggle is as old as Eden. The Lord offered mankind perpetual Life.  But when Eve, deceived by the serpent, saw “…that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise…” she chose to let go of God to be her own god, disobey His Word, and love her selfish desires more. Adam willfully followed her, bearing offspring whose natures are sinful and unclean.

Without the intervention of the Creator, we are creatures destined for the door of the curse.

But, for the Grace of God.  

“Moreover the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live. Deut. 30:6 NASB (emphasis mine)

The flesh that seeks to satisfy itself can only be removed by the hand of our loving Great Physician. Healing more than our physical diseases, He gives a cure to free us from the curse. Then we will find easy-peasy responses to the deal of a lifetime in verses 11 and 14:
“For this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it out of reach…. But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may observe it.” Deut. 30:11, 14 NASB

Not too difficult? My flesh will cry, IMPOSSIBLE!”

Not out of reach? My heart moans for weakness to want to.

What word is near to me, Lord? A humble, “Yes, Lord. Amen!”

The blessed life is ours, as He sees fit to bestow it, as we obediently trust in Him.

God’s deal is still is still offered: Choose life in order to live under His hand of blessing by loving Him first, obeying His voice, and holding fast (clinging) to Him. OR by rejecting this, death.
​
Dear one, be blessed: choose Life!
Say YES to Jesus and see the promises of God unfold.

​Filling my cart with stuff does not fill my heart with love. What a concept!
Catch and release. That’s what I’m going to call this breakthrough moment. Freedom, not for some animal unlucky enough to be caught by my craftiness. Freedom for myself caught up in my own lies and deception.
Cue dark, intense, mysterious music….
I’m talking about online shopping, y’all.
Seriously though, online shopping catch and release. It’s a thing.
It began as I was perusing one of my favorite online clothing websites, looking for nothing in particular. But that’s just it - I ALWAYS find something in particular that will meet the need.
My need.
Desperately trying to obscure the real need with a makeshift solution. Ergo, I find the bait and set the trap... on myself. Wait for it….
BAM! Caught, in my own snare! 3 items in my cart. All purposeful and pretty. All sensible and stylish. All roomy and concealing and covering the parts of me I despise. Well, not quite.
I was one satisfying click away from summoning those lovely things to my waiting closet when I paused. Hesitation gives a moment to breathe and consider once more what my actions would produce.
Those items of clothing, though beautiful, would simply cloak an ugly part of me that goes deeper than the layer of excess weight I’m always trying to hide nowadays.
To be honest, and that’s where the release begins, adding more layers to my wardrobe won’t add more happiness with my physical changes I’ve succumbed to in the past number of years. It’s a mixed bag of blame for the state I’m in, but I’ll step forward and own it.
I’ve ceased caring for myself properly. I’ve had a love/hate attitude toward the calling God has given to me and all that it requires. Outward obedience masks inward mutiny, albeit passive aggressive. My ‘Yes, Lord’ placates my own ears enough to justify the comforting rebellions that online shopping indulge. Lord, help me!
And help me, He does, by His Mercy and Grace.
The infamous and imagined book of Hesitations sometimes quoted in jest does offer to us a word of unspoken wisdom. The Pause. A moment of clarity before making that deciding move. Underrated, yet exceedingly important in the life of a believer and follower of Jesus, is the notion that the big things we do and think are made up of the little things we think and then do.
Am I happy with my body? No. That’s the big picture.
Is God happy with how I choose to care for my body? No. That’s the sum of all the little pictures that make up the big pic. He sees it all.
I could laugh it off and call it Shopping Therapy, but I won’t.
Instead, I’ll praise the Lord for His wondrous love for me when I won’t love myself.
​.
The LORD appeared to him from afar, saying,
“I have loved you with an everlasting love;
Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness. Jeremiah 31:3(NASB)
.
I’ll ask for forgiveness for not valuing my body, His temple, and living only for my comfort and not His glory.
For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body. 1 Corinthians 6:20(NASB)
.
I’ll Thank God for the clothing already hanging in my closet.
If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. 1 Timothy 6:8(NASB)
.
I’ll ask the Lord to help me to see each decision-making moment a chance to keep Him first in my heart.
But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. 1 Timothy 6:6(NASB)
.
My happiness won’t go up or down based on the contents of my shopping cart.
“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I have hope in Him.” Lamentations 3:24(NASB)
.
My hesitation is over. Delete, delete, and delete: three items released from my online shopping cart.
I smile.
My cart may be empty, but God’s Love fills my heart to over-flowing!

​God’s Word became flesh in Jesus Christ.
Perfectly spoken. Flawlessly revealed.
God desires His Son to also be revealed through obedient disciples who love Jesus Christ.
 
Why would God make this His plan?
Seems to me that it is a strategy doomed from the get-go.
Why not use angels who perfectly listen to and obey the will of God? No mess ups, no fails. That’d be MY plan.
But God…
In His infinite Wisdom, God chose to make this way His way to display His Grace and Mercy.
The life of a mere human made of flesh is the most appropriate and setting for the transforming power of redemption. The impossibility is apparent. The change, absolutely miraculous!
“But, I can’t do it!” you say.
“I know. Trust Me to do it in you,” says the Lord.
We have our perfect example in Jesus Christ. Read the Gospels to see how He lived. Hear how He spoke.
Note how many times Jesus withdrew from the busy-ness to seek His Father’s heart.
Observe how He responded to people with Scripture as the foundation for His actions. Always appropriately, always in love.
We are called to be like Him.
Drawn to our Father in Heaven for guidance and wisdom.
Powered by the Holy Spirit, His life breath in us.
Be encouraged with this passage from Second Corinthians:
 “…but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.
​1 Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart.”
 2 Corinthians 3:16 - 4:1 (NASB)
We are all despicable vessels of clay until the Hand of God reaches in and redeems us.
Transformed for His glory!

​Expectation is a key element to Christmas.
In the wait there is hope.
Hope for what is to come.
Hope for what the coming will bring.
In the meantime, we live our lives.
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth and all there was in it. He pronounced everything to be good and very good. It was obvious to Him. Shouldn’t it be obvious to His two image-bearers who occupied this precious parcel of earth?
With only a tease and a lie Adam and Eve traded the Perfect and Good for a burdened life not blessed by God. They couldn’t see the Truth until it was out of sight: God really HAD given them GOOD, from the very beginning.
In their sin they rightly expected judgement from God. Why else would they cower in the shadows, prisoners already to sin’s bondage? Knowing now the “Truth” they thought God hadn’t given them, Adam and Eve came to know just what the knowledge of good and evil does to a person.
Better to choose Life God’s way.
But God knew. He always knows.
Watching His treasured creation choose what was against His will, God did the unexpected.
What that merciful prophecy God spoke to Eve in Genesis 3:15 cost Him is unimaginable!
Love Divine graciously and mercifully stepped in.  He gave to Eve’s seed the mission of undoing the wrong that had been done in the garden.
A promise given. A consequence rendered. In the fullness of time, it would come.
God would cloak Himself in human flesh so that mankind could be ultimately robed in His righteousness.
God loved so much that He gave Himself.
This promised gift of salvation and eternal life is here. Have you received it?
It comes with a price. It has already been paid by the blood of Jesus on the cross. Therein lies our Hope. It is the humble and frail and sinful who know they need help. Acknowledge this, in Jesus’ name, and the gift is yours, full and free.
This Christmas, expect the unexpected. Sounds perfect for a year like 2020, doesn’t it?
How will we find our footing and mission in the coming days?
We must step out of the familiar and safe place that simply keeps us afloat and, with our gaze steadily fixed on the author and finisher of our faith, follow Jesus wherever He leads.

​What has dominated your thoughts today?
Remnants of yesterday’s Facebook news feed?
Worries about tomorrows forecasts?
Take care which source you go to, to feed your mind.

Your heart uses what you take in to motivate your actions for the day or the next week or longer.

Read to learn. Read to enlighten. Read to inform. Read to entertain.
Read to inspire. Read to transform. Read to grow.

In a perfect world we would have no problem finding resources for all these idealistic reading goals. But we are not living in a perfect world.

What we do find in this sin-stained creation is a host of misinformation sources, sham reports, and fake news. They claim to have the true story but none can truly deliver.

There is only one source that offers us the Truth about ourselves and what’s going on in this world.

Cover to cover, God’s Word is complete Truth. It reveals mankind’s history from the very beginning when everything (including mankind) was blessed by God as being good. But, this blessedness wouldn’t last. Adam and Eve’s terrible rebellion against God’s Word resulted in mankind being barred from entering that beautiful place of fellowship with God on their own. It would take the Grace of God to make a way back into His presence for them and all the generations who would follow. God made a promise that the Seed of the woman would fatally wound the Serpent who deceived her.

This brief paragraph is a summary of Genesis chapters 1-3. In these first three chapters of the Bible we see that God creates with His Word, He is pleased to make good things, He deeply loves mankind, His holiness requires perfection, He is just and gracious when we royally mess up, and He will make a way for us to come back to Him, through Grace.

It’s this sure foundation we need to build upon.

Two things we need to understand are 1) God is Good, Holy, Just, and Gracious, and 2) that sin (or rebellion against God’s Word), corrupts every aspect of life. These points are essential to understanding our environment and ourselves.

You’ve heard it said, “Knowledge is power.” But it begs the question, “Whose knowledge is it and what is the power for?”

Proverbs 1:7 tells us “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.” If I truly want knowledge my source must be God. This is confirmed in Proverbs 2:6 “For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth {come} knowledge and understanding.”

The Apostle Paul traveled far and wide, over 3 continents, preaching and teaching to the Gentiles about Jesus Christ. He planted churches where The Holy Spirit led and trained up men to pastor the foundling flocks in the way of the Lord. As he traveled, Paul met a young man named Timothy, who had been raised by a believing Jewish mother and grandmother. As Timothy traveled with Paul and his entourage he proved to be a “true child in the Faith,’ a gifted teacher, and an encourager to both Paul and the churches they ministered to.  

This was the verifying of Timothy’s call to church ministry and Paul knew exactly where this young man was needed most.

Ephesus was a large port city of around 220,000-250,000 at this time. The central focus of its citizens was worshiping at the magnificent Temple of Diana (to the Romans) or Artemis (to the Greeks).

The church in Ephesus required a pastor who, above all, held firmly to the Word of God and the faithful teaching of its precepts. The body of Christ located here had to be firmly grounded in Truth so it could withstand the opposing winds of idolatry, Gnosticism, and the pursuit of living in the moment to please oneself.

The Apostle Paul’s directives to Pastor Timothy were as solid and basic as they come. This passage from 2 Timothy doesn’t just apply to a young pastor in 66 AD. It is appropriate for us in 2020.

“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NASB)

Let’s focus in on these verses to see why God’s inspired Scripture holds us steady in turbulent times.

The first phrase is: all scripture is inspired by God. Think about that. Scripture or God’s Word come from God Himself. Words inspired or breathed into the person who would write them out for you and me to read today. Ancient words as we apply time, yet as pertinent today as the day they were given.

God’s Word is profitable or helpful or serviceable or advantageous for:
Teaching - Instructive of what is right, good
Reproof - Instructive of what is wrong, evil
Correction - Restorative to an upright or right state; improvement.
Training in Righteousness – Supportive of Goodness, Righteousness, Virtue  
Training - by correcting mistakes and curbing passions.
Righteousness – cultivates good in our lives (integrity, virtue, purity of life, uprightness, correctness in thinking, feeling, and acting)

As an object lesson let’s think of riding a bicycle.

We are taught where to sit, what to hold on to, where and how to use our feet. These are good things to do to make the bicycle move and be useful to us.

As we begin to ride it becomes clear that we must find our balance. Pushing down on one pedal too heavily tips us over onto the hard pavement. This is reproof, or what NOT to do.

Teaching and reproof lean heavily on the Law side of God’s Word. Even so, Grace is found in the loving instruction given. To do what is right leads to a pleasant ride. To do wrong leads to scraped knees.

Grace grows stronger as we look at the next benefit of God’s Word – correction.

There’s nothing worse than messing up and falling flat on our faces. That’s why Law and Grace are such a wonderful balance. Law and Grace are present, each doing God’s will for us. Law says we didn’t do what we should have done (we fell of our bike) but what we don’t always acknowledge is that Law wants us to find Grace.

Grace is there to help us up, give us a hug, and binds up our scratches and wounds. Grace offers correction and improvement on our actions. This correction restores us to an upright state (puts us back on our bike) to begin again.

Right on the heels of correction we are given instruction in righteousness. The Holy Spirit, aka Spirit of Grace, seeks to cultivate integrity in how we think, feel, and act. He repeats His instructions and gives that push to get us rolling.

Equipped for EVERY good work. That should increase our confidence as we find ourselves facing new challenges every day.

God calls his disciples to do His will. Good works are an evidence of His calling on our lives.
You see, God doesn’t demand perfection in the outer man; following rules and regulations to appear righteous. God calls us to be perfect in the inner man; allowing The Spirit of Christ to conform us to the image of His son, Jesus Christ.

So then, if knowledge IS power, the greatest power that will keep us strong is found in knowing Jesus Christ.
​
“You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him {be} the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.” 2 Peter 3:17-18 (NASB)

​People were ready for Jesus’ triumphant entrance into Jerusalem.
They lined His path with palm branches and hosannas. They thought He would change their world.
They were partially right.
He did come to save them from slavery and oppression, but not by the Romans.
Their need was greater than they knew.
But, HE knew their need.
He came that day to be their Savior from the bondage of sin.
As the hosannas and hallelujahs faded away Jesus went to the Temple. This should be where the people met with God and where God would meet with them.
Instead of finding pure worship and prayer offered to Jehovah, there were obstacles that hindered the people from drawing near the Lord.
A righteous anger rose in Jesus as he turned over the money changers’ tables and said, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you made it a den of robbers.”
Jesus came to give life and redemption at no cost to anyone, but Himself.
Are we looking to Jesus to save us from our circumstances?
Will we cheer and applaud Him only when He rides into our burdened lives as a savior who will take us away from the terrible problems and dilemmas we face?
Or, can we trust Him when He doesn’t follow our script of escape?
What If He takes a seat beside us and says, “I am here. I am with you. I will never leave you or forsake you. Trust Me to do far more abundantly that you could ever imagine.”
Jesus came to seek and save the lost.
Jesus came to heal the sick and bind up their wounds.
Jesus came to give abundant life, eternal life, to anyone who would receive it.
Even now He comes. His greatest desire is that we see Him for who He truly is: our Holy and Loving Lord and Savior.
He has come to change the world – according to His script.

​Psalm 145:21 My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD, And all flesh will bless His holy name forever and ever.

In this Instagram and Facebook era it’s tempting to keep all the news feed filled with carefully staged pictures of model homes and adorable children. When I raise my eyes from my laptop screen I know I cannot compete with this unspoken challenge of “Look Who Has the Perfect Life.”

Some people love the camera. They pose. They set the scene. They broadcast their message. But, is it truth, or performance?

We may love the camera or mic, but do we love Jesus more? Are we willing to step back and let Jesus have the final word?

The reach of our words is horizontal
Remember, our words live. They impact the people we speak to. Those people may in turn share what they heard from us. This should caution us to use discernment as we speak, in person and online. We truly don’t know how far our words will go.

**Talk about life and the challenges you face. You don’t need to go into the nitty-gritty of              everything, but don’t be afraid to reveal the struggles. Everyone needs to know they are not alone. The Apostle Paul wrote honestly about his life but always ended with a “shout-out” of praise to God.

1 Corinthians 2:3-5 “I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, 4 and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.” 
           
**Educate yourself on current event topics and world affairs. Use reliable sources of information that aren’t biased against the truth. In the same way a gel filter on a stage light affects how the actors are seen on stage, so a person’s worldview colors their perception. Is there a well-rounded presentation of the issue? I’ve found that World Magazine tries to present news stories in a reliable way. Look for the “Solomon’s” to learn from.

Keep in mind that no one is an expert in everything. When in doubt, don’t. Err on the side of discretion and prudence as discussions go deeper. Pray for discernment.

1 Tim 6:20-21  “O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly {and} empty chatter {and} the opposing arguments of what is falsely called "knowledge" 21 which some have professed and thus gone astray from the faith. ¶ Grace be with you.”   
          
1 Kin 4:34 “Men came from all peoples to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all the kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom.”

The point of our words is vertical
Our words truly find worth when we use them with a vertical purpose. When possible, we need to focus the conversation back to the Word of God and the hope we have in Jesus Christ. This becomes easier when we have Scripture stored in our hearts from which to draw.

Be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading as you speak. There have been times on-air when I’ve begun my comment with a certain end in view and somewhere along the way the Holy Spirit commandeered my thought, bringing me to an entirely different final point. I’ve sat back, and simply said, “Wow. Somebody must have needed to hear that!” I’ve been blessed to find out from someone that it was precisely that random comment that ministered Grace to them just when they needed it.

Don’t be overly scripted or pushy in what you say. It’s not about our wisdom or eloquence. After all, God used a Balaam’s donkey to get His point across to a stubborn prophet. I think God was able to use that donkey because she was willing to be used by her Creator.

Are we willing to use our words in a worthy manner?

Are we salting our conversations with the hope, peace, and joy we have in Jesus?

Are we drawing others to find life in the Lord Jesus Christ?

May our words reflect God’s Word, as we read in 2 Tim 3:16-17, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”

Remember, our calling is to faithfully testify of God’s greatness and goodness until Jesus returns.

2 Pet 1:19  "So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts."

Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. 6 Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person. Colossians 4:5-6 (NASB)

Based on the fact that we have two eyes, two ears, and one mouth, one might think we should watch and listen twice as much as talk and talk half as much as we think we ought. 

This perspective becomes crystal clear once you’ve heard yourself speak. I found this out soon after I was hired on to work on-air at our local Christian radio station. You see, talking is no problem for me. But in order for me to improve and grow as a speaker on the radio I needed to hear myself objectively. I had to be my own honest critic by identifying repetitive habits and curtail my aimless oral rambling.

Having a teachable heart is vital in giving worth to our words.

Actually, our public speaking as well as our private conversations would be improved if we considered these following points:

Do I say too much? On the radio 30 seconds is a long time to speak extemporaneously, i.e. without script. Rambling thoughts often miss the mark. Begin with a hook (something ear-catching or interesting). Use one sentence to elaborate on that hook to get you to the point you want to make. State your main point (the “mic drop,” or not).

Do I repeat myself a lot? This comes from not listening to yourself and really hearing what you say. This is why you need to consider your words before you say them so they will be effective. Look for a way to share, share it, and then willingly relinquish the mic for another person to respond.

Do I talk about myself too much? It’s okay to share a personal story as long as you are using it as a stepping stone to your key statement. It’s all too easy to get engrossed in the details and bunny trails of one’s personal events and then end up not saying much of anything by the time you’re done. There is a time for personal testimony. Make sure you’re not pushing out someone else’s chance to share theirs.

We don’t always know who’s in our general audience.

In Colossians 4:5, we are admonished to make our way through this world fueled with godly wisdom toward those who don’t know the Lord, so that we will make use of every opportunity to do good. Basically, to be a faithful witness of our Faithful God.

In verse 6 we find we make use of every opportunity to do good by allowing God’s Grace to stimulate and spice our words. Gracious salting gives joy, promotes healthy dialogue, and advances the ministry of reconciliation to Christ to which all believers have been called.

Remember, there ARE two people who have an “all access pass” to your show – you and God. Gracious speaking benefits our own thinking because the words we read and say aloud help to retain them in our long-term memory.  We need that recall when troubles come.

Retelling God’s gracious words also blesses Him as we exalt His Holiness, Goodness, Mercy, and Love.

Our words are important. Don’t let anyone tell you different.
​
Let’s use our words wisely so they will cause a lingering hunger for more of God.

​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.
​
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.