A Thoughtful Tongue

Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. – 1 John 3:18

This week I received the blessing of laryngitis. Of course, on many levels it didn’t seem like a blessing. The frustration of not being able to communicate verbally was almost overwhelming for a motor mouth like me. Every time I tried to talk, it resulted in harsh, painful fits of coughing. When the phone rang, it sat unanswered. My unreturned messages piled up, because the person on the other end could not hear me if I tried to answer. It was a difficult week, to say the least.

However, my inability to speak gave me a chance to ask myself two questions. How much of what I say is truly valuable for others to hear? What do my actions say in spite of my words?

During my bout of laryngitis, I could only whisper a few words before the coughing started, so I had to pick those gems carefully. It made me realize how many extra syllables leave my lips simply to fill air space or to be a part of a conversation, even though they don’t have much true meaning. I also realized how my words and actions don’t always align, especially with my children. My mouth says I’ll pour a cup of apple juice, but my body stays at the computer to send one more e-mail. My mouth tells the kids I’ll go to the park with them, but my body sits down next to a friend we run into once we get there.

This is why I say the torture of laryngitis was actually a blessing. It gave me the chance to quietly evaluate how I use my words without my own voice getting in the way.

Perhaps the best part of laryngitis is that, even with no voice, God hears me. And without the distraction of talking to other people, He and I got in some much needed quiet time.

What are you struggling with when it comes to talking or the way you use your voice?