day 515: Work Talk

Sometimes we forget what is work and who is watching when we are working. I don't know if any professional athletes read Purposed worKING, but there are some who I wish did so that they would recognize that when they are working, we are all watching. This past couple of weeks have found me watching lots of hours of baseball. Yes, I have been hanging around the workplace of, in particular, The San Francisco Giants and The New York Yankees. Maybe it is high definition TV or I have gotten better at reading lips but the work talk of baseball players is pretty distinct and a bit salty. And this is not just from the rank and file, but also from the management as the TV cameras head into the dugout. Okay, so most of us don't show up on national television when we are working, but there are plenty of people who are watching and listening. The example that is left with one person, or ten, or thousands, is one that we need to recognize can be long-lasting. It is also hard to recover our reputation once the words start spewing. Paul says to us in Ephesians; "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." Some might be wondering why this theme of controlling our language comes up so often in Purposed worKING? The answer lies in the last time any one of us let a word slip that we so wish we wouldn't have said and how quick the word rolled off our tongue. Some areas in our life need more reminding than others. Our work talk could be one of those areas.

Reference: Ephesians 4:29 (New Living Testament)

day 372: Leader Language

This is not a new topic that we have explored in Purposed worKING, but I felt it was time to reiterate the topic. This past week we saw one of our national leaders use an expletive as he was talking to our President. The TV microphones picked up his words and national headlines were made and continue now even a week later. When leaders speak, people listen. When leaders speak the wrong words people make even more of it. When leaders speak inappropriately they send a message to others that this is language that is acceptable and appropriate in certain circles. In this case, we all knew that his choice of his word was an expletive that would never be acceptable on television and shouldn't be acceptable in other places either. All of this is also true in the business world. Leaders who choose to use inappropriate or foul language are setting an example for others and through their choice of words are stating where their mind and hearts reside. It's a simple lesson that we are not to use foul or abusive language if we are going to set the right example and be the role models that we and God want us to be. Unfortunately, we can never be reminded enough. Paul is clear in his teaching in Ephesians: "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." 'Nuff said.

Reference: Ephesians 4:29 (New Living Testament)