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In the process of moving from Ohio to Alabama I have talked to many people on the phone. We've had to deal with utility companies, magazine subscriptions, insurance people, automobile titles, and so on. I have encountered some very pleasant and friendly people on the phone during these many calls. But I have also had to talk to folks who were anything but cheerful and friendly. Some seemed like machines; a few sounded like they didn't really like what they were doing; one or two even sounded hostile and certainly weren't very helpful.
Now, I can give them the benefit of the doubt. Maybe they were having a bad day. Maybe one or two were going through some kind of personal crisis while still doing their job. And of course there are people who are just gloomy or exude coldness as part of their nature.
But I wonder--couldn't we all try to speak in a friendly manner and reach out to help our fellow humans, whether when doing our job or just meeting someone in the course of the day? A little kindness goes a long way. Even a smile or personable manner of speaking to another individual can manifest love.
I imagine Jesus smiled a lot. I know he was a great laugher--and a bringer of laughter. If we have one ounce of holy spirit in us, we can get up the energy to talk to co-humans in a humane way. To "love your neighbor as yourself" includes how we speak to one another. Using our voices to love others is a way to lift each other up. It's not just what we say, but the tone of our voice that can be strengthening.
