Day Three
Clanging Cymbals

“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love,
I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal."
1 Corinthians 13:1

     So much of our talk, so much of the sounds of our day are just noise.  They don't mean anything.  They're just filler.  They're just empty calories and empty promises.  So much of our talk is simply gossip and so many of our conversations are just a waste of everyone's time.  The noises of our day are no better than entertainment, which is at best a diverting from what is important.    

     We can act important and talk about lofty things, but if we do not bathe our conversations in the gospel of Christ, our talk is a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.  In other words, we are simply making noise.  We would be just as suited to scream or make nonsense sounds if we do not pepper our conversations with talk of the kingdom of God.   

     Time is short.  When I was a baby, I babbled like a baby.  But now that I know how to form complete sentences and understand ideals such as eternity and grace, I would be reverting back to spiritual childhood if I did not eject into every conversation a spiritual nugget or a life-affecting truth.  Time is too short for me to run around acting like a clanging cymbal.         

* A disciple makes the most of every conversation 

Application: Do you gossip or talk about meaningless things?  Do you speak with the right measure of love?