Recently the classroom I work in had a crew in, taking video footage to use in a training project. We were outfitted in microphones to wear while they were visiting. I wasn’t under the lens the entire time, but it was odd walking around with a microphone. I could only assume it was recording the whole time, since there was no switching it on and off between camera sessions. Every word, every greeting exchanged in the hallway, every half whispered comment to myself was captured.

It made me extremely aware of everything that passed my lips and cut back on non-essential words.

“Hello” is a sufficient greeting.

No one wants to edit through mumbled commentary on craft preparations.

There’s nothing I can do about the toilet flushing sounds, though.

In this case my self consciousness caused some overreaction (Seriously, avoiding asking anyone how the weekend had gone?). Still, given that “Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment” (Matthew 12:36), it is not bad to go about life acutely aware that God is keeping records of each of those words that I do let out. Isn’t it better to be aware of the “microphone to heaven” you have throughout life than be like those poor ignorant souls in the hallway saying ‘hi’ back? At least I knew there was a microphone around.