I’m back blogging, thanks to all
of you who were kind enough to say you missed my blog. I heard from the
expected readers, the members of Sardis, but also from former members and even unknown
readers from New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas and Georgia. I never knew my blog traveled so far.
I am reminded of a sermon by Morgan
Roberts, broadcast on the world’s first commercial radio station, KDKA out of
Pittsburgh. His congregation included not only those who warmed the pew, but also
the radio audience that stretched across several states. The sermon was titled,
‘How Far Do My Words Travel?” He
maneuvered a nice twist by saying that often a word said to us as a small child,
travels with us for life. It might have been an encouraging word or sadly, a
hurting word. Whoever made up the rhyme, “Sticks and stones may break my bones,
but words will never hurt me,” must have been deaf. Words can hurt and words can heal. We get to
choose before we speak them. After that,
they tend to travel on their own.
All of this made me realize how
important it is to watch what I say, not only in my blog, but more important in
the everyday conversations of life. I never know how far my words will travel.
I have been looking at a
different kind of Lenten discipline this year, starting on Ash Wednesday. Instead of giving something up, like
Starbucks or chardonnay, I’ve decided to try and see if I can go six weeks
using only kind and encouraging words to everyone I meet. Pray for me.
So thank you. You not only got me
blogging again, you’ve made me think spiritually about how far my words travel.
What about you? How far do your words
travel? Can you join me in a similar
discipline for Lent? The apostle Paul urged the Christians at Thessalonica to
“encourage one another with these words.”
We can do that too.
