Back in college, my sister and I worked one summer for a large company out of Omaha, Nebraska that made its profit by collecting and selling business information.
Both Stephanie and I were hired at the same time as telephone specialists, commissioned to call businesses across the United States to verify that the information we had about them was accurate. It wasn’t a glamorous or particularly meaningful job, but it paid very well. The more calls we completed throughout the day, the higher our paychecks were. Did I mention we were in college???
When Stephanie and I first started, training was a slow and painful process. We had to memorize a script and then manage to maneuver our way through it while talking to a (usually annoyed) person on the other end of the line, all the while typing their answers into our computer system. It didn’t come easy – at first.
Over time, though, the script became second nature to us, so much so that she and I became quite good at multitasking (a.k.a. goofing off) while successfully completing hundreds of calls each day. We enjoyed accolades, promotions and mounting commissions. We knew that script so well, we could recite it in our sleep … literally.
My mom tells how late one night she walked into the bedroom Stephanie and I shared, only to find us both sound asleep. In our slumber, we were both reciting, “Hi, this is American Business Information. Have I reached (Company Name)?”
What’s Your Script?
Whether or not we realize it, we are routinely reciting the scripts we’ve drilled into our hearts and minds.
Jesus said, “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” (Matthew 6:45, NIV)
For good or for bad, our lips utter the things that flow from within.
Is your heart filled with fear, pride, jealousy or hatred? Is your mind cluttered with the junk you’ve consumed through the things you’ve heard, watched or read? If so, it won’t take long before this “script” starts creeping into your daily interactions.
Take a moment to consider… What kinds of messages do you want to communicate to your kids? Your spouse? Your coworkers? Your friends? Your team? If you want your words to have greater impact, it starts by rewriting the script.
Rewriting the Script
Rewriting the script will not come naturally. It takes time and intentionality.
Start by thinking about the end game. What words do those you influence need to hear? Then actively find ways to fill your heart and mind with the internal script it will take to produce those messages.
Consider taking this plan of action.
Script Revision #1: Praise
Desired outcome: A testimony that points others to God as the loving Creator and faithful Provider.
Stop:
- Dwelling on what you don’t have.
- Consuming entertainment that mocks God’s goodness or sovereignty.
Do:
- Take stock of all your blessings. Reflect on the ways God has provided for you in the past.
- Read and memorize Scripture describing God’s attributes and promises.
- Keep a journal detailing the ways God speaks to you through His Word and answers your prayers.
Script Revision #2: Encouragement
Desired outcome: Words that encourage those you influence by helping them understand their unique God-given abilities and potential impact in this world.
Stop:
- Focusing on the ways others are interfering with your personal goals and ambitions.
- Surrounding yourself with critical people who are quick to point fingers of blame.
- Giving orders or correction before you’ve taken time to listen.
Do:
- Take time to assess the unique gifts and perspectives of those you lead.
- Enter conversations with an open mind and heart.
- Recognize that your role as a leader is to help others move from where they are to where God would have them be.
Script Revision #3: Truth
Desired outcome: The courage to speak openly and honestly.
Stop:
- Allowing societal norms to define truth. This world is not our home.
- Avoiding what needs to be said out of the fear of hurt feelings or awkward encounters.
- Immediately dismissing the opinions or feedback of those who see things differently than you.
Do:
- Study the Scriptures, and pray for godly wisdom.
- Surround yourself with truth tellers who will honestly and lovingly hold you accountable.
- Listen for the Holy Spirit’s “still small voice,” guiding you toward what is right.
- Recognize that sometimes the most loving thing you can do for those you lead is to speak in a truthful, corrective manner.
Script Revision #4: Love
Desired Outcome: Words and actions that are a reflection of the unconditional love of the Heavenly Father.
Stop:
- Thinking you can do anything to make God love you more or less.
- Defining the value of others by how much they can do for you.
Do:
- Spend time in solitude with the One who created you and gave His life to save you.
- Commit Scriptures to memory that promise God’s unconditional love for you.
- View the individuals you influence, even the “difficult” ones, as beloved creations of the Father.
- In every situation ask, “What is the most loving thing to say or do?”
The Leader in you
The words we say matter, because they are a reflection of what’s inside. It won’t be easy to rewrite the internal script – but then again, we were never designed to do it on our own. Jesus, the greatest Leader of all time, wants to change you from the inside. “I can do all this through him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13, NIV)
As you allow Jesus to transform your heart and mind, your words and EVERYTHING about you will change. The world will be transformed as you learn to let the Leader in you show.
Prayer: “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.” Amen (Psalm 19:14, NLT)
By Heather Day
