Be a Voice, Not an Echo

I saw this picture today and thought it was so powerful. It said:

"Be a voice, not an echo" 

I stopped to think of all the times in life I have been mearly an echo. Times where I was too afraid to step out on my own and stand up for what I believed in, so I would just fell into the sound wave of others. 

Talking, talking and talking some more. Just "making conversation" and going through the motions.

Have you ever had the feeling you talk too much? 

Lately I've been paying even closer attention to the words I speak. People who know me well, know that I typically say such things as "words that build". I put a lot of emphasis on just speaking in a way that brings life and light to a situation and not death or darkness. I'm usually pretty good at this but lately I've been noticing that I just talk too much! 

It's not anything bad, persay. It's not lying, gossiping, cheating or slander.. It's not rude or hurtful.  It's more the everyday, going with the flow of life, echoing the sound of this world. 

When I open my ears to the sounds of our society what I can hear can be described as this: broken, shattered, mangled, corrupt, hurt, desperate, sick, afraid, anxious, jealous, envious. 

BUT when I open my ears to the sound of heaven, what I hear can be described like this: joyful, fullness, complete, peaceful, loving, kind, fulfilling.... 

I've realized something, it takes a special ear to hear the sound of heaven over the calamerty of the world. Not everyone will hear it, but if you are fortunate enough to sense the sound, it's up to you to silence yourself, lean in, listen and then be a voice of heaven not an echo to the world. 

There are enough echoes in this world, be a voice.