“Take your words” to the right places.

It was a simple question posted on a public Facebook community group.

“Does anyone know when the new Starbucks is opening?”

It seems to me that the answer possibilities to that question are relatively few.

Either you know or you don’t.

If you don’t, then you really have nothing productive to add, so maybe silence is the best option?

If you do, then a few helpful details?

Seems logical to me.

But Facebook often defies logic.

The feed was filled with dozens of comments, many sharing critiques of Starbucks’ quality, prices, and politics.

Several others recommended local alternatives to Starbucks. (Nice recommendations, but not requested in the original question).

And then, as so often happens, commenters began replying to each other, either disputing or piling on with the critiques.

I don’t know the person who posted the original question, but I’m thinking if I had posted it, I’d be wondering what the heck just happened!

Welcome to the online age where words have a life of their own and apparently just need to be said and “public” means I have the right to say anything I wish.

In my time of reading and contemplating the Bible this morning, these words struck me:

“Take words with you and return to the Lord. Say to him: ‘Forgive all our sins and receive us graciously, that we may offer the fruit of our lips.’” (Hosea 14:2)

“Take words with you …”

This implies some intentionality in the use of words. We are not just letting them fly at random or on a whim. We are deliberately taking them somewhere.

“Return to the Lord.”

This implies there is a home base. A specific place to return. A safe place to refocus and renew. A place of honest, gut-level vulnerability.

“Say to Him …”

This implies that He is listening, that He is interested in what we say, and that there is inherent value in speaking those words aloud to Him.

“Forgive all our sins and receive us graciously …”

This implies that we understand that we have not done everything right. We are flawed and in need of forgiveness. Before we can call anyone else out, we need to deal with our own stuff in the presence of a gracious God.

“That we may offer the fruit of our lips.”

This implies that the capacity to speak is a gift. Our words can be fruitful when offered appropriately (or unfruitful when tossed about at random).

Here’s what I’m wondering:

If we began each day “taking words” to God—confessing our own sins, seeking new perspectives, and praying for others—how might our words be more “fruitful” the rest of the day?

Question: How will you choose to intentionally “take words” in a fruitful way today?

Be amazing today, my friend.