“If you’re allergic to this medication, do not take this medication.” (TV ad)
“Remove child before folding stroller.” (Instructions)
“Caution: Hot coffee is hot.” (Sign)
Good grief. It’s scary that we need these messages, isn’t it? Somewhere along the line, common sense was apparently set aside.
Did you know that we receive between 4,000 – 10,000 advertising messages alone in a single day? That’s just mind-boggling! And that’s just ads!
Then there are emails, social media notifications, text messages, billboards, TV commercials, product labels at the grocery store, and those little warning stickers that pop up everywhere. (It concerns me that bathroom signs need to remind employees to wash their hands before returning to work. You too?)
Throw in the interpersonal messages – conversations with family, friends, coworkers, or the barista who writes “Have a great day!” on your coffee cup – it’s no wonder our brains get foggy.
So many words—endless messages—so much noise.
And then. There are countless reporters, politicians, and people on the other side of our phone screens, talking to us. Loudly. Intense voices telling us what to believe, who is right and who is wrong, and who is good and who is bad. It all just gets to be too much, doesn’t it?
We are influenced by what we listen to, what we pay attention to. Everything that comes into our ears tries to settle somewhere in our brain, right? And when the words and messages turn into just a bunch of noise, our brain’s going to hurt. And confusion shows up.
(Stroll with me down a little side path for just a moment …)
Steve and I were watching a Masterpiece TV show on our local PBS station. The characters had these delightful British accents, and I found myself wanting to speak “in British” as I watched. “Hey, hey Steve. Fancy a cuppa tea, would you?”
Several of my friends have fabulous Texas drawls and use phrases that sound as smooth as butter. Every sentence includes a “Y’all” and is filled with charming sweetness. “Aww. Bless your heart.” When I’m alone at home, I’ll sometimes pretend I’m from the South, which gives me permission to speak like them. I feel so . . . sweet and smooth.
And of course, you put me in any conversation with someone from Norway, or someone who speaks Norwegian, and I’m desperate to speak like them. “Du er så snill,” is said with a sing-songy kind of voice. (You are so kind.) Memories take me back years to our hometown cafe. None of the local farmers came from Norway, but when they gathered there for their morning coffee, they all sounded like they just got off the boat.
I invited you down that side road for this reason: It’s not just the messages that matter. It’s HOW the messages are delivered. Intense, angry voices create a very different experience than a calm, soothing voice. Right?
I’ll take delightful accents, charming sweetness, and sing-songy voices over harsh judgment, anxiety-inducing urgency, and doom-scrolling intensity any day of the week. Wouldn’t you?
Here’s where I’m going with this little note…
Words, messages, and their tones influence your mind and spirit. Your perspective. Your heart.
So. What are you listening to these days? How are those messages being delivered?
Are you making double-triple-sure that you are listening carefully for the voice of The One Who Loves You Most? Or are the demands of the day and the noise from the news taking up too much space in your precious brain?
YOU—your mind—your heart deserves voices of grace. Compassion. Love. Patience. You probably cannot control all the messages you receive, but you can control what you choose to listen to.
Here’s my challenge for you today, my friend: Take a moment to do a little “message inventory.” Which voices lift you up and which drag you down? Which fill your cup and which leave you drained?
Turn down the volume on those voices that shout the loudest but offer the least. Make space for the gentle whispers that remind you who you really are and whose you are.
Because in this noisy world of “caution: hot coffee is hot” warnings and endless notifications, the most important message is still the simplest one: you are loved, you are worthy, and you get to choose what fills your beautiful mind.
What one message will you choose to hear today?
I care about you. And your heart.
