Mic’d Up, Part 1
Inspiration and insights usually strike me in the weirdest places and at the strangest times. This was one of those weird places and strange times - I was standing in the bathroom at a parish in Bryan, Texas. I had been uttering some words under my breath (I tend to talk to myself), when I had a big uh oh moment. I was wearing a lapel microphone. Luckily, the microphone was off.
What if my microphone had been left on?
What would my life look like if I was always mic’d up?
How would it change what I say and do behind closed doors?
If you’re an NFL fan, you know that they originated the “mic’d up” idea to capture personalities and private moments of athletes when they are just being themselves on the sidelines. It’s remarkable how much some of them change when they’re not standing next to a reporter with a hand held microphone extended just inches from their mouths. It’s nice to not be exposed all the time, but are we really as autonomous and isolated as we think? It’s easy to flip a switch and be aware that our words impact others when we are in front of a crowd, but I believe our words, even without a microphone, carry much more weight and go much further than most people realize.
There are two things that this should bring to light for us:
You have a voice and that voice is being heard. It’s influencing those around you. Therefore, you need to be mindful and intentional about the example you set.
You have a voice that needs to be heard. You and I are not making the impact we are capable of making, yet. You are not operating at your full potential and it’s time we change that.
Your example carries weight – and lots of it
Every time I speak to a crowd, there is always this moment where the intense focus of the people reaches its peak. I’m acutely aware of it, and it is as if it’s the first time I realize that these people are really listening. There is always a mixed level of engagement in any given audience, but I know there are always some people out there whose hearts and souls are being penetrated by the words I offer them. The challenging conviction in my words is affecting the way they will approach life starting in that very moment. It’s an amazing experience and I hope the Lord will always give me the grace to steward such moments for His Glory and purposes.
This sounds profound and unique, but I think we all experience this on a reduced scale each and every day. We all speak into the hearts and minds of other people, sometimes even without saying anything at all. If you read my last reflection, you’ll recall the influential words of SSG Partyka who simply took the time to affirm me as a man. Everything we think, say, and do in the presence of other people is an opportunity to influence them positively or negatively. Every day of your life you are either doing more criticizing and complaining or encouraging and affirming.
Which will you choose to let dominate your life this week?
In this self-centered culture of ours, it’s easy to believe the lie that what you say or do affects you and only you. As you know, this simply is not true – we are extremely unified and inter-reliant. As the Body of Christ, every sinful act committed by every member brings the collective group down. On the other hand, every holy moment we generate helps raise the bar for the whole group as well.
Everything you do, even when you’re alone, is making you, your family, our country, and our Church either better or worse. What you say and do, along with what you fail to say and do, matters profoundly over this course of human history.
It’s a lot to take in, but it’s our reality, which means it’s better to know than to not, even if it feels overwhelming. I think there are many fears that are born from this truth.
Your Voice Needs to Be Heard
The fears that creep up when considering being more outspoken are some of the same fears that we have when doing any sort of public speaking. The main ones, in my experience, are the fear of being misunderstood, a fear of being found to be ignorant of something, and the fear of being disliked. Despite these fears, we all have a responsibility to influence the world around us. It could be from stage, in writing, in conversation with friends, or with your children. Our platforms and styles will all vary, but our fears are often the same. We also share this common responsibility to push past our fears to share our voice, our wisdom, and our love with others in a number of different ways.
Fear of Being Misunderstood
Anyone who has ever been in a romantic relationship knows that there can be a serious communication barrier that exists between men and women, especially when those lovely feelings get involved. I think one of the biggest fears when it comes to public speaking and having those difficult, one on one, crucial conversations, is being misunderstood. It is one thing to offend someone when you are truly trying to deliver the truth with love, but it is another thing altogether to have what you said be completely misconstrued to the point that it takes on a different meaning than intended. We fear our situation will become a real-life bad lip reading. (If you haven’t seen these before, check the link below quick to understand)
We do have a responsibility as communicators to ensure our message comes across clearly. This shouldn’t be taken lightly. This responsibility, though, needs to be balanced with the fact that we cannot control the recipients’ thoughts or feelings. If you choose to make your voice available to God for the sake of others, there will be times when you are received as insensitive. There will be times when you will be too timid to fully share what the person needs to hear. There will also be times when the other person will be too closed-minded to be able to receive what you’re trying to share with them. Nonetheless, it is far better to have tried and failed (to communicate) than to not have tried at all. That doesn’t mean be reckless in conversation, as it is also our great responsibility to improve and to prepare ourselves for the situations and conversations we will encounter.
I think many people in this life fail to make the impact they are meant for because they don’t properly equip themselves with the information and the character needed to succeed in the various moments that could have made a big difference. The Bible tells us in 1 Peter to “be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks us for a reason for the hope that is in us.” St. Paul tells us that we are ambassadors for Christ. These orders and titles are not to be taken lightly. If I have to read books, watch YouTube videos, listen to podcasts, receive constructive criticism, and subsequently change myself in order to fulfill those duties, then I will happily do those things for as long as I may live.
Fear of Appearing Ignorant or Being Disliked
Another one of the biggest fears that prevents people from wanting to make their voice heard is the fear of saying three horrifying words: I don’t know. It can be quite embarrassing to be asked a question, especially in front of a crowd or in front of a boss, and not know the answer. I think the root causes of, almost all, embarrassment are pride or low self-esteem. When I get embarrassed in such moments, it is typically because I am overly concerned with what the other person thinks of me, or because I thought I was good enough to know the answer to everything they might ask. The truth is that we can’t know everything. I did these town halls last week which allowed for Q&A from over 1500 people. The audiences were allowed to ask me anything they could think of about a program and organization that I have only been with for about four months. I didn’t have all the answers, and that’s okay. I know where to find them and can follow up with them.
A low self-image lets the weight of any perceived failure feel multiplied tenfold both in the moment and after. Improving this low self-esteem is not an immediate option. It takes time. Personally, as I dedicated time to studying certain topics, and grew to know more and more, the less ashamed I felt about what I did not know. The knowledge and wisdom I had gained from others, from books, from prayer, etc. provided a cushion for me to fall on, even if only internally, when my knowledge was found wanting in a conversation.
This week, I had a conversation with a fallen away Catholic turned atheist, Alex, on my flight from Detroit to Cincinnati. Alex is a senior at the University of Cincinnati with a double major in both Biology and Philosophy. I knew he wouldn’t be easily swayed after hearing that, but Lord knows I’m here for the ride, so if he’s ready to go down the road of discussing his doubts and disagreements then I, too, am ready to rock.
Going into conversations like these I know that I’m prepared to tell someone I don’t know the answer to something but can confidently assure them that the Church does. I know where to find the answers, and I can provide them with resources later on that help address the concern at hand. It frees me up to share my contagious joy and love of the Lord and His Church, which in and of themselves, are my two biggest strengths in evangelizing. I don’t go a single trip without having such a conversation either in the airport or on a flight. More on some of my lessons learned in those someday, but for now the big take away is that it’s worth it to charge ahead into the unknown of risky conversations for the sake of other people. Alex asked for my phone number, took down the title of a Peter Kreeft book I recommended, and hopes to meet up soon to talk more.
St. Francis won’t save you here
I know that many people like to use the classic St. Francis of Assisi quote when I emphasize our need to evangelize verbally. The quote says, “Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words." The first thing we miss in that quote is that often times our examples, too, fail to be bold enough to evangelize. We are careful to hide anything that might give off the fact that we go to church on Sunday and believe in God. We tend to be nervous to pray in public or to share that we do or don’t do certain things because of our faith. Your actions can be a great door to open a conversation that someone really needs to have. I truly believe that your Christian example must also be coupled with the courage to go deep with someone in those tough conversations to help lead them to the breakthroughs they need to have.
Notice in the quote that he does imply that sometimes you need to use words. When was the last time you truly evangelized, i.e. helped someone grow closer to God, in a conversation that made you uncomfortable? I know I don’t do it enough. Heck, most of us can’t even work up the courage to tell a friend they have something in their teeth, let alone challenge a stranger or even a family member to give God another chance.
We are all too often victims of the bystander effect all too often, assuming that someone else will always pick up our slack when it comes to helping or evangelizing others.
Resources:
10/10 recommend this Inky Johnson video. It’s one I’ve listened to countless times. It’s actually a combination of two episodes of Eric Thomas’ TGIM. They’re both available on Apple Music as well. The “My first testimony” is a recording of my first testimony ever given. I touch on some of these similar topics. The other two videos are just funny!!
This reflection is a part of Seeking Excellence's EXODUS 90 series, which took place in the months leading up to Easter.