For when there are many words, they increase futility. What is the advantage for man?Ecclesiastes 5:11
I tend to be talkative and have been told I occasionally repeat myself. You would not know that growing up I was very shy and did not talk much. As a young teenager I had one friend with whom I cut yards and socialized. As I grew older I started to come out of my shell and resolved to become outgoing. Thereafter as a student pastor, I was seldom at a loss for words.
This Scripture reminds us that too many words can be futile. A sound communication tip is that one should say what needs to be said and then grow quiet. As a minister I have tried to follow this principle when preaching. When a sermon is longer than 30 minutes, I have observed that I begin to lose the congregation’s attention. I once served with a pastor who felt that if he could not deliver his message in 20 minutes, it was not worth preaching. Generally speaking, more words are not necessarily more effective than fewer words.
Challenge: Be careful to K.I.S.S – Keep It Short and Simple. Watch what you say before God who is in heaven. Ask Him to help you choose your words wisely so you communicate effectively. Listen to “Let My Words Be Few” by Matt Redman on Youtube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpcxxIBUIzo