Words, And Words Are All I Have...
That's just outrageous! Where ever did you hear that?
Proverbs 25:11 "A word fitly spoken Is like apples of gold in network of silver."
Words are so important, like water beating against the rocks they can change things for good or ill.
"We don't inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children." (Wendell Berry)
Have you ever heard a saying like the one above and thought, Wow, that's kind of impressive?
Yet when you break it down maybe it is impressive, or maybe it's just words.
In a literal sense in today's world we might 'inherit' land from our ancestors, but the author of the statement isn't talking about literally inheriting land. He's talking about our duty, our necessity of taking care of the land. He's talking about our stewardship of something bequeathed to us and that our children are the rightful inheritors.
Only part of that statement is true. We are endowed with this beautiful, magnificent earth from our Father, God, who gives it to us for our use, but not our misuse. We are to care and nurture this world, and pass it on to our children, who inherit it from God their Father, as we have inherited it.
Proverbs 25:12 "As an ear-ring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, So is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.
A word-smith is similar to a sommelier, one who is schooled in wine tasting. In reading, like a wine steward, you let the word run through the mind, maybe even trying it on the tongue to see how it flows, rolling across the palate.
Words are important, but they need to lead us to what it right. I know of people who can talk like they know something, but if you analyze their words, their sentences, and whatnot, they have said absolute gobbledygook.
Job 34:2 "Hear my words, ye wise men; And give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge. 3) For the ear trieth words, As the palate tasteth food. 4) Let us choose for us that which is right: Let us know among ourselves what is good."
Just throwing out these snippets from the book I'm reading here: "Small minds talk about people, average minds talk about events, great minds talk about ideas."
"Observe those who are surrounding you on any given occasion. Their conversation and actions could very easily change completely four or five times in less than a minute."
Those two statements don't really seem to go together, yet they are supposed to support each other.
I catch myself doing such things at times. Then I need to rearrange thoughts and sentences. There is some truth in the small minds statement, but most of us talk about shallow things with people because we aren't going to trust someone we aren't confident in with our deep feelings.
It's that simple, and yes when we meet people we are not just inclined to speak to them, it is a social necessity. If we don't speak to them we're labeled antisocial. So we generally ask them how they are doing and what's going on in their world.
It's chit chat, but chit chat isn't has a place in the world. It lets us know what's going on in other folk's lives. It tells others that we care, even if it is rather superficial care. Like Louis Armstrong's statement in 'What a Wonderful World', 'I see friends shaking hands saying how do you do? They're really saying I love you.'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8so-xyKyJ-A
And that might be one reason our conversation topics change. I don't think they change four or five times in a minute. Unless you are talking to someone like me who has too many triggers.
Note, a trigger is something that 'triggers' a thought that may or may not be remotely related. Like the 'peanut butter' and dog comment back a few posts.
Logical thinking, critical thinking—so important for a free society. We need to develop these skills.
