In the past few weeks, dozens of speakers have addressed nationwide audiences at the national political conventions.

Some were good, others less so.

But before judging a speaker it may be worth asking : How well would YOU do speaking in front of a big crowd? or even a small crowd?

Public speaking is a tough but very necessary skill to master.

If you are concerned about your speaking abilities, or just don’t want to sound like a dope when you raise your hand in class, the good folks at Ragan.com have some useful speaking tips for you.

The first is, ummm… try to avoid the word “ummm”.

It’s like a security blanket, a nice little touch of warmth when you have run out of time to search for that elusive word. Filler words like um, well, and hmmm are like pieces of verbal debris that assail a listener’s ear and distract from your point.

While we’re on the subject, there are other filler phrases that can be just as painful. Ending a sentence with “right?”, “yes or no?”, or “ok?” or beginning it with phrases like “very quickly”, “basically”, or “to be honest”

There are a few basic rules to be observed to sound your best.

• Don’t repeat any phrase more often than you can help it.
• Slow down and relax. Jumbled, panicky speech doesn’t impress anyone.
• Don’t try to sound smarter than you really are. This means no big words (you may or may not know the meaning of).
• Every time you feel like you want to say “umm” say . . . nothing.

A good way to practice is to stand in front of a mirror (or non-judgmental friend… if that is possible), and talk about anything. Try your best to avoid these verbal ticks.

Do you have some speech tips? Speak up!

1 Peter 4:7-11 (NIV)

7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. 8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Reflection

In this passage, Peter speaks again of loving each other with this deep love. He says that this deep love covers over sin – a multitude of them. What love covers a multitude of sins? It is the outstretched love of our savior, Jesus, who blood covers your sin and mine. It is with this kind of love that we love one another. And it is this kind of love that undergirds all else that Peter encourages his readers to do. With deep, out-stretched love, we can we genuinely offer hospitality without grumbling and serve others with deep humility. With this love, we can be stewards of God’s grace and speak the very words of God. Above all, we can bring joy to our Heavenly Father and shout out His glory and power.

Response

God’s love that covers over sin is the very undercurrent of power for all that we do for each other. Believing this above all else, let’s pray that we will open our lives to serve others – our family, neighbors, roommates, coworkers and strangers. May we be the stewards of God’s grace and be the speakers of His life-giving words.

Former White House Chief of Staff and current Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel is, as you can infer from the aforementioned titles associated with him, a pretty well known politician who apparently has a knack for fundraising.

He’s so good, in fact, that he is leaving his position as President Obama’s campaign chair to raise money for Priorities USA Action, a super PAC that supports President Obama.

The President has fallen behind his Republican challenger in funding. Restore Our Future, the Mitt Romney-supporting super PAC, has raised significantly more than Priorities USA. In July alone, Restore Our Future raised $101.3 million–that’s $25 million more than Obama and friends were able to get out of supporters’ wallets.

It’s clear that the super PACs have had a pretty super impact, and with the transfer of Emanuel to Priorities USA Action, it appears that the Obama campaign is looking to manipulate the fundraising powers of such organizations.

The President was not a big fan of super PACs initially but has since altered his thoughts on the matter. Some may view this change of heart as a bit of a sellout, but as Obama’s campaign manager explained:

“We decided to do this because we can’t afford the work you’re doing in your communities, and the grassroots donations you give to support it, to be destroyed by hundreds of millions of dollars in negative ads.“

Whether the Obama-associated super PAC catches up to Restore our Future with the help of Emanuel or not, this presidential election is on track to becoming the most expensive in U.S. History. After all, according to the Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling, money really does talk, and both parties have already generated quite a large amount of conversation.