Do I Count?

Fleshing through my views of life, I’ve reached a point of asking: Do I count? Is it okay if I see life differently than you? Do we have to agree on everything? Can we agree to disagree and still feel validated?

It’s a strange thought with multitude of answers.

The past few weeks, it seems, I’m caught in the middle, able to see multiple view points, and can validate anyone for their perspective – but I feel like most do not care how I feel and are only interested in changing me to their point of view.

Now. This is not a selfish observation because I generally don’t care!

I’m me,
and I plan on being the best “me”
that “me” knows how.

Yes. I told that to a boss who wanted me to be more like him. I rejected his image!

It’s almost like I’m on a different wavelength. My slice of reality (…not truth…) includes you and your view, but your view refuses to include me and mine. It’s almost like I’m the most unimportant person in the room! I must learn to be like the man in that Brewery Commercial… Then everyone will care what I think! You know, when E.F. Hutton speaks, everyone listens.

Often, I’m just a voiceless face in a crowded and noisy room.

Now. You can have a pity party of one, or, you can rethink how you communicate and learn to do it better. I choose the latter option.

What Do You Say About You

This got me to thinking about my voice, my message, and how I communicate. In fact, it makes me think about who even cares enough to listen. Am I a voice that makes a difference? Or, am I simply wasting my time. Some people want to be like an angry politician inciting others to war. I want to be the voice of reason and peace. So. I must make sure that’s how I approach everything I talk about!

For several years I’ve followed voices, teachers, mentors and those who have done what I’m talking about. Michael Hyatt tells me something noticeably important and personal:

“…a platform is the thing you have to stand on to get heard. It’s your stage. But unlike a stage in the theater, today’s platform is not built of wood or concrete or perched on a grassy hill. Today’s platform is built of people. Contacts. Connections. Followers.“ (Platform, Getting Noticed in a Noisy World)

It’s never too late to adjust the way we communicate, nor is it a waste of time to consider our audience. To be effective you must hone your message and find those it resonates with, and hopefully everyone will help build your platform so you can be better heard, and more likely, better understood.

During the past few weeks I’ve been crowded by family and voices from many sources. In my ear and on my social contact pages. Getting a word in edgewise is often difficult if you are not face to face. Here’s the reality of todays world… It’s changing from face-to-face, or belly to belly as a friend likes to describe it, most of our communication is done online.

What does your online world say about you? What does your voice say about what you believe, practice, preach and teach?

Think about it!

Every conversation you have, every word you speak, and truly, every thought you project to some medium, is a puzzled piece of your platform. The journals you write, and maybe leave innocently behind for others to read, they all shade a version of the voice you hope to have as you communicate outward.

Those social posts? Imagine your grandchildren reading how you communicate 40 years from now! The language! Attitude! Bullying! The disdaining words that drip from your fingers through your keyboard!

Every sermon I preach, lesson I teach, even the blog that I write – they are all pieces of my platform. Then, add my voice to conversations and my image is lifted or smashed by the message I deliver, the comfort I give, or the thought I believe should be shared.

Add to this, the entertainment I enjoy, the people I follow and refer, even those I promote… these all add to the platform I stand on, and the words I share, and the voice I would hope to own. Every joke and criticism. Think about your snide and sly words! Every novel, song, even those news channels that fill you ears.

Everything is part and parcel of who I want to project.

Foundation

Have you heard the phrase, “Loose lips sinks ships”? It’s a wartime expression to warn everyone to contain the knowledge they know, as in, the “walls have ears”. Every piece of knowledge you know can be heard and used against you, or someone else. So. Control what you speak! What you have to communicate will either lift or sink you and others.

Jesus warned of this in relation to being a worthy follower of God:

“I can guarantee that on judgment day
people will have to give an account
of every careless word they say.
By your words you will be declared innocent,
or by your words you will be declared guilty.”
Matthew 12:36-37 (GW)

Notice his focus. He can guarantee! Every careless (idle) word will declare you innocent or guilty. Often we speak without thinking about the words we are saying. One original language dictionary describes careless as: “…a word that produces no good effect, and is not calculated to produce any.” It’s wasted talk, has nothing of value to add, and is probably one that will tear down rather than instruct or build up.

Are you prepared to give an account of every single word you speak? Paul warns us there will be an accounting of who we are…from what we speak…do…and on to how we live. The Whole Ball of Wax!

“So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.
Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer,
but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance
in the way of a brother.”  
Romans 14:12-13 (ESV)

Everything Counts

Why are we so casual with everything when everything counts? From emotions to unplanned off the cuff comments, do we not think through before we speak?

Maybe this is part of the key to our platform we’ve never considered.

Thoughts Count!

I’m not talking about ignoring the value of thinking something through, but when our thoughts dictate our communication, and those bursts damage others, then I suppose we have kept these thoughts active for too long. Paul tells us to bring our thoughts into captivity!

“…We take every thought captive so that it is obedient to Christ.”
2 Corinthians 10:5

Who’s in control of your thoughts? You are! If those thoughts are outside of how Christ leads through his word and example, then we need to control them.

This, too, is part of my platform voice. Dwell on something (via thoughts), when it becomes our outspoken voice then we are missing the scriptural principle that we need active every moment of life.

Do you want to become effective in your voice? Or for your platform? Then you need to control your thoughts! That’s as important as controlling your communications! Do you want to count? I think I might have just solved the problem!