Thursday

How Much Would Someone Pay For Your Words?

Many freelance writers get paid by the word. The average rate is 5 - 10 cents a word.

I’m convinced 19th century novelists were compensated in the same way. I first suspected this in my senior year of high school as I plowed through all 900 pages of Herman Melville’s Moby Dick. Other students read the Cliff Notes, but oh no, not me. If the assignment said Read Moby Dick, I was going to read Moby Dick. All 900 pages of it.

Photo courtesy of Carlos & Sandy Rios

Though I believe Melville penned more than a few unnecessary words in his classic novel, we 21st century writers are not quite so free to wax eloquent. Especially those of us who are paid by the word.

Editors ruthlessly trim unnecessary verbiage and tighten sloppy phrasing. They cut elaborate descriptions down to bare bones and hone phrasing until it is a shadow of its original self. They sift through the sand of the superfluous to find the gems of genius. They make every word count.

By doing so, they eliminate the unnecessary. Only the best words remain. They exchange the flabby for the fabulous, the milquetoast for the mighty. They take a shotgun blast and transform it into a sniper’s rifle.

They refuse to pay for one unnecessary word.

Their frugality makes me wonder.

What if the situations were reversed, and instead of being paid for every word, I had to PAY FOR them?

What if every word I spoke cost me 10 cents? What if, at the end of the day, someone pushed a button and generated a tally of all the words I said, multiplied them by $.10, and handed me a bill? What if I had to give an account for every word I said?

I think I’d choose my words sparingly.

I’d only say those that were necessary, timely, and prudent. I’d choose the absolute best words to convey my message. I’d listen closely to others to be sure I didn’t waste words with an inappropriate response.

I’d minimize unnecessary tirades, too, because goodness knows I use lots of words when I lose my temper.

God’s Word tells us that one day we will give an accounting for the words we speak.

“But I tell you that men will have to give account on the Day of Judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matthew 12:36-37).

Knowing this makes me want to choose my words carefully.

At the end of the day, what would your bill be?

“Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak,” (James 1:19).

Will you join me today in choosing our words wisely?

If you enjoyed this devotion, may I tell you about my new book, Hungry for God … Starving for Time, 5-Minute Devotions for Busy Women?

Today's women want to connect with God, but in the craziness of life, it’s just not happening. You want practical, biblical answers to situations you face every day, but you don’t have hours to pore over Scripture.

You need a resource that answers the questions you’re afraid to ask out loud. Questions like:

• Is my situation hopeless?
• If God already knows what he’s going to do, why bother to pray?
• Why have you allowed this to happen to me?
• No one appreciates what I do. Why shouldn’t I quit?

Each devotion begins with a Facetime question and ends with a biblical answer wrapped in a modern day parable. Like a spiritual power bar, Hungry for God … Starving for Time is packed with enough scriptural nutrition to get you through the day. Wherever you are—in break rooms, carpool lines, or wherever you can snatch five minutes of quiet reflection—Hungry for God … Starving for Time, 5-Minute Devotions for Busy Women is for you.

Hungry for God is on Facebook! Will you take a moment and LIKE my page? CLICK HERE to help HFG share 5-minute devotions.

No Freedom of Speech

As we exited the Smithsonian metro station, my daughter and I stumbled upon what was billed as "the largest gathering of nonbelievers." By my estimation, there were between 300 and 500 people huddled under umbrellas around a stage bigger than their gathering. On March 31, in an article entitled"Atheists Rally on National Mall; the 'Reason Rally' Largest Gathering of Nonbelievers," Huffington post reporter Kimberly Winston reported that an estimated 8,000 and 10,000 people attended the event. *

One of us miscounted.

As we made our way to the Tidal Basin to enjoy the Cherry Blossom Festival, the voice of the rally's speaker carried clearly across the largely empty grassy area. I only had to listen for a moment to realize two things. First, he was angry. Angry enough to rail at people of faith. Angry enough to curse them. Ironically, I wondered if there was much power in damning people in the name of a God he didn't believe in.

Second, I realized that although the staging area was ringed with uniformed police officers with fierce-looking canines, the authorities allowed the speaker to rail and curse unmolested. His right to freedom of speech is guaranteed by the First Amendment, and the police officers who guarded this area also guarded his right to say anything he wanted.

I realized this atheist was exercising a freedom that I as a Christian do not have.

I cannot curse those who don't believe as I do.

I cannot express hate or disdain for those who criticize what I hold most dear.

I cannot outshout or bully or taunt them.

I cannot exercise the liberty of free speech, because I answer to a higher law.

Instead of the First Amendment, which says I can say anything I want, regardless of its destructive power, I answer to the Word of God, which tells me to

"Bless those who curse you."(Mt. 5:44)

"Speak the truth in love." (Eph 4:15)

and "not let any unwholesome talk come out of (my) mouth, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." (Eph. 4:29)

Can I say angry, bitter, destructive words to those who disagree with me?

Yes.

Should I?

No.

The love of God compels me otherwise.

"But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.

Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness." (Jas. 3:17).

That day, walking away from the "largest gathering of nonbelievers," I chose to exercise my God-given freedom of speech.

I chose to "pray for those who despitefully use you."

And I did it out loud.

*(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/24/atheist-rally_n_1377443.html).

This devotion is an excerpt from Lori’s new book, Hungry for God … Starving for Time, 5-Minute Devotions for Busy Women.

You want to connect with God, but in the craziness of life, it’s just not happening. You want practical, biblical answers to situations you face every day, but you don’t have hours to pore over Scripture.

You need a resource that answers the questions you’re afraid to ask out loud. Questions like:

• Is my situation hopeless?
• If God already knows what he’s going to do, why bother to pray?
• Why have you allowed this to happen to me?
• No one appreciates what I do. Why shouldn’t I quit?

Each devotion begins with a Facetime question and ends with a biblical answer wrapped in a modern day parable. Like a spiritual power bar, Hungry for God … Starving for Time is packed with enough scriptural nutrition to get you through the day. Wherever you are—in break rooms, carpool lines, or wherever you can snatch five minutes of quiet reflection—Hungry for God … Starving for Time, 5-Minute Devotions for Busy Women is for you.