I'm a bit obsessed with Greg House. I LOVE the tv show, right down to the fake American accent and clever snide humor. Its probably partly due to the fact that I'm MARRIED to Greg House (or at least an equally sarcastic, cynical, laugh-out-loud funny type of guy).

Earlier this month an episode titled “The Social Contract” intrigued me. In it, the “patient” finds his speech completely uninhibited. In other words, he says EXACTLY what is on his mind – everything from critical comments about his wife to sexual comments about his Doctor. He finds this shameful, embarrasing, and hurtful to those around him. He's willing to risk a complicated and dangerous neuro-surgery that could cost him his life in order to stop the words from flowing.

Words can be weapons. We know this. And so often we restrict the flow of thoughts into words. We hold back. We restrain and train our verbal life to reflect but a shadow of our often vivid thought life. Even those of us who are known for our sarcasm are often exercising restraint 90% of the time.

We are a politically correct society. This is a good thing when it comes to hurt feelings and hasty words. Even in a fight, we'll often think twice about how to say what we want to say in a way that's productive and helpful. But this is a bad thing in that we are seldom truly genuine. Our kind remarks are often taken as flattery, our unkind remarks are said more seldom than we think them. And because we all know that our words are poor reflections of our thoughts - we doubt the words that come from others' mouths.

But what would we look like if we spoke unrestrained. What if we said the things our minds think at the moment the thoughts are thought?

......read more below..........

I know I'd be ugly and ashamed. I'd say hurtful things to my children, unloving things to my husband, ungrateful things to my family, unholy things to my church. I know that my thoughts are often unrestrained and snarky. I'm glad that I get to filter before it comes out of my mouth.

The Bible instructs us to tame our tongues... but does not leave out our minds. “Take every thought captive,” we are told. Train your brain to think as kindly as you speak.

“The Social Contract” caused me to think through my thought life and how it comes out in my words. I desire to be consistent and transparent – but find I am often not. So, just in case I ever am diagnosed with the side effects of Doege Potter syndrome – I'm going to be working hard on thinking thoughts that are as kind as those I'd want you to hear. I want my words to be genuinely me - without filter and without disguise. I want you to trust that I will honestly and truthfully (lovingly) tell you what I think and feel. And I want my cynicism to diminish and my love to grow.

How about you?

Comments (1)

	1. 31-03-2009 05:16
	"Train your brain to think as kindly as you speak."    Wow. What a powerful statement! I'll definitely be chewing on that one. The Bible so openly rebukes the "flattering" tongue, but also tells us to only speak words that will edify others. This brings that balance, doesn't it? Speaking the truth in love. What a great post!    >>and I so enjoy your comments-thanks for visiting me! http://thejoyefuljourney.blogspot.com Registered Report

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