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Thursday, October 1, 2009

Yackity Yack

I talk and talk and talk all day long. I talk about quadratic equations, Geometry proofs and standard deviation. I talk about homework and accuracy and attention to details.

Yackity Yack

And when I'm done talking about math, I talk about responsibility and kindness to siblings, cleanliness and healthy eating habits. I talk about how the day went and I talk about trials and blessings. I talk about me and then I ask about his day too. Talk, talk, talk

Talk on its own is pretty meaningless though and I wonder how much of my talk is sweetened with love.


If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 1 Corinthians 13:1



I know the Gong show hasn't been on TV for a very long time, but we still remember how silly that gong was when someone's act was going poorly. When I think of a gong - I think, that's ridiculous. When I blabber on and there's no love behind my words, I sound totally ridiculous.


Clanging cymbals can be pretty annoying and harsh on the ears after a while. There are nice as a song reaches its crescendo, but repeated clanging would get on my nerves very quickly! If I open my mouth and love is not my motivation, I'm just as annoying as a toddler banging on cymbals.

I'm beginning to think that if I don't want to sound ridiculous or annoying, I ought to just shut my mouth up tight. Unfortunately, that isn't a real solution, so instead I need to think about how I can monitor when I am speaking in love and when I'm not.

"I can't believe she would wear those shoes." GONG!!!

"I would never plan it that way." CRASH!

"He really doesn't know what he's talking about." BANG!

Well, now that I'm starting to get a headache, I think I'll sit back and just listen to someone esle talk for awhile.

Aha! Maybe that's the solution - listen up! Quiet down. Speak after you're spoken to. Those will be words spoken in love.




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3 Comments:

Blogger Denise said...

Such a good devotion, thanks.

October 1, 2009 at 1:19 AM  
Anonymous Laurel@FromMyHeartToYours said...

Thank you Heather. A few years ago, I realized that I too spent a lot of time talking...I always tell my children in class, "If you are talking, then you can't hear what I'm saying. Please listen." It dawned on me that when I'm talking, I'm not listening ;)

I began to pray for a listening heart. A heart that hears right to the heart of others. A heart that listens for God's small, still voice...He is so faithful when we ask.

May God bless you with a listening heart today friend.
with love from Canada

October 1, 2009 at 5:12 PM  
Blogger Lauren said...

Good thoughts, Heather!

October 5, 2009 at 8:13 AM  

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