Careless Words

The Library of Congress has acquired the entire Twitter archive. From their site, "That’s right. Every public tweet, ever, since Twitter’s inception in March 2006, will be archived digitally at the Library of Congress. That’s a LOT of tweets, by the way: Twitter processes more than 50 million tweets every day, with the total numbering in the billions."

That puts a little more importance on your tweets, doesn't it? Twenty years from now your children can look at your tweets. And twenty years after that your grandchildren or great-grandchildren can see what you thought was tweetable!

Matthew 12:36 says, "people will give account for every careless word they speak." I think we can safely include every word we type- emails, blogs, texts, comments on blogs/sites, tweets, status updates, and anything else the future holds!

Before we hit enter or publish, maybe we should think about the power of our words.

• Know your attitude- When I have pride, anger, jealousy, I care less about my words. Check your attitude to make sure your words are not the fruit of a sinful heart. You know yourself- if you aren't in a good mood, don't get online. This is especially important when leaving comments on blogs. I'm amazed at what someone will say to people they don't know. I'm not saying you can't disagree, just make sure you communicate kindness, even in (especially in) your disagreements.

• Know your audience- I've learned this lesson a couple times. Like when my mother-in-law called to discuss one of my Twitter updates with my husband. It wasn't bad, but I wouldn't have written it if I had known she was reading my Twitter page. Your small circle of friends on Facebook may know you are kidding when you make a joke or use sarcasm, but the hundreds of "friends" you have may not understand. Your audience is always bigger than you think it is!

• Know you're accountable- You are an ambassador for Christ. That means you're held to a higher standard, and, unfortunately, open for attacks from those looking for an excuse to discredit your faith. It all comes back to Matthew 12:36- people will give an account. You aren't only accountable to God, but also your employer, your family, your church, and other organizations you represent. We should all remember we are accountable to someone!

Because our words will live beyond hitting the enter button, we need to remember they have power. It helps to know your attitude, know your audience, and know you're accountable!