“Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.”

I’ve written much about the ease of cynicism today.  As we shorten our messages and posts it seems our optimism and hope decreases with every lessened word.  Yesterday, one of my favorite bloggers, Seth Godin, wrote this about cynicism:

“Cynics are hard to disappoint. Because they imagine the worst in people and situations, reality rarely lets them down. Cynicism is a way to rehearse the let-downs the world has in store–before they arrive. And the cynic chooses this attitude at the expense of the group. Because he can’t bear to be disappointed, he shares his rehearsed disappointment with the rest of us, slowing down projects, betting on lousy outcomes and dampening enthusiasm. Someone betting on the worst outcomes is going to be correct now and then, but that doesn’t mean we need to have him on our team. I’d rather work with people brave enough to embrace possible futures at the expense of being disappointed now and then. Don’t expect kudos or respect for being a cynic. It’s selfish.”

My Father said to me as I was growing up, “If you don’t have something good to say, then don’t say anything at all.”  He was right. Paul gave us the same advice in Ephesians. Today, let’s drop our cynicism and let’s be the positive example of God’s Words.

Reference: Ephesians 6:29 (New Living Translation)