Buzz Words

Did you read the Yahoo article about over-used buzzwords in the work place? ("Buzzword" ATW - according to Webster's - is 'an important-sounding usually technical word or phrase often of little meaning used chiefly to impress laymen' or 'a voguish word or phrase').

The popular words at work used to impress? Among others, 'leverage', 'reach out', 'it is what it is', 'viral', 'game changer', 'disconnect', 'value-add', 'circle back', and 'interface'. The article even advised us how to use such 'cutting edge' vocabulary.

First, use them 'properly and judiciously' they are, after all, for communication purposes and if no one knows what you're saying then you've missed the point entirely.

Second, 'consider your audience' - they suggest asking if a non-native English speaking audience would understand what you are trying to say.

I liked the last one best - 'check your own understanding' - try asking yourself if you know what you're saying - and make sure that everyone is on the same page as far using the same definitions for the words you choose.

While this was all mildly interesting to me, and not really relevant to my workplace vernacular it did prompt some further pondering. What kind of 'buzzwords' do I use in the spiritual realm? You know - that place we Christians gather each week to meet and 'fellowship' - to 'worship' and 'praise God'.

Please note I am not trying to be irreverent (ATW - 'lacking proper respect or seriousness') about church, but I am wondering how much our 'God-speak' makes sense to those who are not 'part of the body'.

Paul says, "I have become all things to all people so I could save some of them in any way possible." (1 Cor. 9:22)

We all have a tendency to run with the pack and repeat what we hear. I've written about 'Christianese' and miscommunication before, but buzzwords seem to be something we use to impress or to go along with the crowd.

"The preacher was really annointed today and we totally felt the Spirit in worship."

Huh?

Sometimes we have to untangle our thoughts enough to be deliberate about the words we choose. Do we know what we're saying, and more importantly, what we're communicating to others?

Have you ever tried the exercise where you repeat back what someone has said to you? It's amazing how much we get wrong! They 'say' one thing and we 'hear' something entirely different. Not unlike the childhood game of 'telephone' where you whisper a word in the next person's ear and when you get all around the circle the word you come up with is not the original word at all, but totally wrong - and often hilarious in contrast.

Satan loves to twist our words and use our miscommunication to cause rifts among believers and confusion and misunderstanding when we try to share God's love with those who don't know Him.

Don't even swear by your own head, because you cannot make one hair on your head become white or black. Say only yes if you mean yes, and no if you mean no. If you say more than yes or no, it is from the Evil One.. (Mt 5 36-37)

My mother would put it this way:

"Say what you mean, and mean what you say."

All for Him,

Missy