Many people
do not think before they speak. Such individuals may spew out anger, or
inappropriate comments, that have long-term consequences. But, all they’re thinking about is their own
immediate sense of satisfaction.
There are
two clear facts: these individuals hurt
people; and, they often jeopardize close relationships through their own ignorance. In short, they lack useful data.
I would like
to share what I learned from two online articles. Both posts addressed the
relationship between authors and book reviewers specifically. However, the
scope can be expanded to include communication in any context:
--Jim Heskett
This
colleague published an article
on his website about the controversy between indie (self-published) books and
those that are professionally published. He says the reputation of indie books
is not respectable. Detractors of self-published works stereotype them as sloppy.
Mr. Heskett
rightfully points out the disrespect and inaccuracy of such sweeping
statements. How can a whole category of
hundreds of thousands of books be dismissed as amateurish? Sure, some
self-published works will be unsatisfactory; others won’t.
--Stefan Emunds
A fellow
author, Mr. Emunds wrote a blog post
about impoliteness in book reviews. Previously, he was a member of an online
group of writers that promoted each other. However, he found that some people
were unkind and harsh. Their words highlighted their ignorance, abusiveness,
and laziness. He’s certain at least some
of his reviewers didn’t read much of his work.
The Bible
The sacred book
of Christianity portrays the tongue as a weapon—for
good or evil. In addition, our words are
the mirror of our souls; they
illuminate our true thoughts:
- Ignorance
- Foolishness
- Deceit
- Anger
- Love
- Mercy
Proverbs 15:1-4 (KJV)
A soft answer turneth away wrath; but grievous words stir up anger.
The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright; but the mouth of fools
poureth out foolishness.
The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the
good.
A wholesome tongue is a tree of life; but perverseness therein is a
breach in the spirit.
My Conclusion
Communication is powerful. It can convey metaphorical life and
death. Positive expressions can bring healing. On the other hand, it’s easy to speak
rash, negative terminology that causes disruption:
- Stereotyping
- Making judgments with insufficient information
- Harshness/cruelty
- Insensitivity
Do your
words convey spiritual light or darkness?
