What We Talk About
Volume 3, Day 199
Perhaps you are familiar with the saying, “Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.” Admittedly, there are ways to speak of people that can honour them. But this saying highlights our darker side. In a world of ever present media coverage, we are continually confronted with people’s lives at a level of intimacy that can be inappropriate.
To make matters worse, this tidal wave of personal information about others could easily make gossip and grumbling about others the very basis for all our conversations—and not just about the rich and famous. People in our workplaces, churches, neighbourhoods and families can also be targets of harsh words and feel the pain of our gossip and bad-mouthing.
How can we avoid using words to hurt others? By recognising that the ultimate Hearer of our words is God, who longs for us to be better than that. With the psalmist we can pray, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord” (Ps. 19:14). When we seek to please God with our conversations about others, we honour Him. With His help, we can glorify Him through what we talk about.
Author
Bill Crowder
