There are doubtless many different kinds of sounds in the world, and nothing is without sound.

1 Corinthians 14:10

According to thespruce.com, talking to your plants really works. The Royal Horticultural Society did research, and plants that were talked to actually grew taller than plants that weren’t. This was especially true of women’s voices.

Nobody really knows why.

The guess is that it has something to do with sound vibrations, perhaps in a certain range, that have a positive effect. But think about that: Your plants can actually hear you. When God said we were to have dominion over all of creation, there was nothing mentioned about us chatting with it!

I don’t know that there’s a difference between reading Shakespeare to your Ficus or telling it the latest juicy gossip. I doubt that plants can actually understand us, but at some level it seems they understand sound.

In the Bible, the most common sound is the sound of the trumpet. It was an alarm, a call to action, an attention getter. But there are other references to the sound of wind, the sound of other instruments, even the sound of silence.

In 1 Corinthians, Paul is talking about people who speak in tongues. He’s pointing out that if there’s no one to interpret what they’re saying, it’s just foreign sounds that convey no meaning.

We humans have developed the ability to attach meaning to sounds, and in many ways language is the foundation upon which we’ve built our society. But just for right now, put aside the words and pay attention to sounds themselves. The hum of your computer or your AC. The dog barking across the street. The loud car cruising by.

Each of these sounds are speaking to you, just like you can speak to your plants. Even deaf people can feel the vibrations of sounds. How does the gift of sound enrich you? Take a moment to appreciate the soundtrack of your life: The background noise, the music, the conversation, all of it. Sometimes it can all seem like a bit too much and we may need to seek out some peace and quiet, but sound helps us learn about the world around us, and in that way helps us grow, just like our plants.

In addition to paying attention to the sound around us, we can be mindful of the sounds we spin out into the world, too. We are part of a grand cacophony–or symphony–of God’s creation.

Remember Psalm 100? It reminds us to make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth. 

I think that’s some sound advice.

Have a great week,

Mitch