Ever notice how our mood and reactions in the morning are very dependent on the words of others? In fact, our whole day can be influenced by the first words that are spoken to us in the morning. The same can be said from others about the first words they hear from us. I have always been an early bird so other than the whispered, “Have a great day and I love you” to Patti in the dark on the way out of the house, my next words are likely to be to other people who I am interacting with on a “work basis”. I have learned over the years to choose those words carefully as my words may well be the first words they hear of the day as well. So, we are both vulnerable and also both highly influential with what we have to say to each other in the morning. I am not one for small talk so I tend to jump right in and get going before I allow someone else to say, “Good morning”. It is not a good trait of mine. What I have learned over the years is to temper myself and allow others to “wake up” by hearing something good from me and also allowing them to tell me something good that has happened to them. The simple exchange of, “Good morning. Hope your day is off to a good start. How was your evening (or weekend as Monday mornings are even more critical)?”, can go a long way in setting the tone for the conversation and this person’s day. Solomon reminds us of how our morning words can go awry if we are not deliberate and thoughtful, “If you shout a pleasant greeting to your neighbor too early in the morning, it will be counted as a curse”. But, it was well-intentioned you say to yourself. That’s not really good enough. We need be thoughtfully-intentioned as much as well-intentioned. This morning may have already started for you, but tomorrow, try to find some new “morning words” and see if they make a difference.

Reference: Proverbs 27:14 (New Living Testament)