Open Your Mouth

I wish I had a particular demographic to aim this blog at. Honestly this one goes out to every person of any age, background, ethnicity, religion, gender,…all of that. What could possibly apply to ALL people? Glad you asked.

Whether you believe in God, the power of your own reasoning, or anything else associated with inner strength or character, that same thing lays messages on your heart. What do I mean? When I say messages on your heart, I mean those times in life where you feel compelled to speak or to take action to benefit someone for whatever reason. I speak of those times when there is a reflexive type of response that makes you want to talk or move immediately. Like when you see someone about to get hurt and you say “watch out!” or when you see a baby falling and you try to catch them. Maybe like when you see that homeless person who actually seems authentic and you feel like helping, or even when someone is about to touch a hot object. There are so many possible scenarios that could be associated with physically helping someone that I can’t even begin to get into all of them. I would have to talk about the situation and if you were physically able to do it and was it rational and was it too dangerous and what to do if you got hurt and….blah blah. But the moments when all it takes is some words is something altogether different.

To get started, it must be understood that it actually takes effort to not respond to those urges. After the demand for action arises, other calculations and thoughts prevent us from taking that immediate action required. We like to think about how it will sound and how it will be taken. We fret about finding the perfect words and who else will hear. Often times we wonder if we are even worthy to offer the words needed because of our own past deeds and efforts. That very moment, the one when the second guessing occurs, is the moment that steals the possibilities. People say that it’s never too late, but I promise they are not talking about these situations. How could they not be talking about these situations? Really glad you asked that.

If you believe in God, there is a plan at work in your life. You (me included) believe that God is always moving and we are in particular places at particular times for particular reasons. I am not familiar with any other religion intimately but I imagine that steps are “ordered” there too. If you do not believe in any God and claim the laws or probabilities and statistics then logic alone reveals that certain opportunities in life are not likely to actually repeat. Either way we all know that moments in time are fleeting at best. Not paying attention will cause things to pass you by and you might not even know what is happening around you. Failing to adhere to the call to action at the time you are called will mean that the opportunity is gone.

The person will be hurt if you don’t say watch out. The baby will fall if you don’t reach out. The homeless person might not be in the same spot tomorrow. The person will get burnt if you don’t tell them it’s hot. We could look at anyone in a situation like that and say they did it to themselves, or they weren’t paying attention. We could also look at the person who could have said something and say, “You sold out.” It’s a big sell out too. The same motivating factor that compels you to action should be the same factor that hangs the guilt of inaction around your neck. How could words ever be too much of a heavy lift for a person who serves God or a person who claims to have any type of morality? It never should be.

In every one of those situations, failing to act not only does a disservice to the person you should have helped, but many people do not consider the collateral damage. What about all of the people who witnessed your inaction? What does it say to them? I can guarantee this, not only does it speak to your character but it also reinforces a culture of do nothing. A culture where we see people being wronged and sit idly by. One where we pretend to not see the perils that are about to befall members of society. A moral fabric full of holes big enough for the youth to fall into oblivion. A system of religion that speaks of an almighty God and yet produces followers who won’t listen to His voice. You need only to be a member of that society to know that something needs to change.

Look around…don’t worry…I’ll wait. Can you see the decline happening around you? If you trace it back to the roots I promise there is someone there with a closed mouth. There was someone who knew about every wrong we are currently facing or have faced and said nothing or muttered it through tight lips. There was someone who knew there was a housing bubble. I promise someone knew that the levees wouldn’t hold up in New Orleans. There was someone who knew the 9/11 attacks were going to happen. It’s a shame but someone knew Sandusky was molesting little boys at Penn State. Somebody knew somebody else was going to shoot Tupac. Money bet that someone saw some convicts when they were just kids on a path to adult life in prison. How about this one; somebody knew the money was funny at your church. Somebody knew Natalee Holloway should have gone with her friends and not with those new guys. At least one person knew that Michael Jackson was taking too many drugs. Maybe they couldn’t get the words right. Maybe they were scared. Maybe it wasn’t the appropriate time to speak. Maybe before they mustered up the courage the situation already happened. Maybe the hesitation was just too long. The truth about it is, the only way to prevent becoming someone’s roots is to open your mouth.