If the well's too deep, you'll still be thirsty

"The more words you speak, the less they mean. So what good are they?" (Ecclesiastes 6:11, New Living Translation)

One of my high school buddies was fond of saying, "You filled the air with words, yet you said nothing."

Some of us preacher-types often resemble that remark.

I recently heard a sermon in which the preacher mentioned that he had been accused of not being "deep" in his preaching. He said, "That's because I'm clear."  That makes me think of a water well. No matter how pure the water is, if the well is so deep you can't reach it--you'll still be thirsty.

Whether we are teaching, preaching, or just engaging in conversation--our goal should not be quantity or complexity of words, but clarity and connection. 

Proverbs 15:23 says, "A person finds joy in giving an apt reply--and how good is a timely word!" (Notice it doesn't say a timely speech).

Question: What are some ways that you have discovered to make sure that your words "connect"?

(Photo credit: Flickr)