The Implications of Talking Pictures

by | May 16, 2015 | Perspective | 0 comments

We are all familiar with the old adage, “a picture is worth a thousand words”. If this is indeed true, have you ever considered the implications?

Beyond a shadow of a doubt, pictures speak. Pictures express things that words can not adequately express. Pictures make explaining things so much easier. We go on a vacation, and someone asks how it was; our response is often, “Oh, let me show you” as we whip out our mobile device. Without taking the time to articulate in detail a masterfully crafted, written account, we can describe in incredible detail and accuracy the people we met, the places we visited and the activities we participated in.

In this light, our pictures are like a mouth pouring forth words. Thousands of words. Volumes of words! And perpetually too. As long as a picture exists, it’s speaking.

So this is what was going through my head when I read Psalm 71:24 earlier this week: “My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long.”

What a revelation this was to me! If pictures are like words, than it could be said that pictures are an extension of my tongue. I felt like praying this verse back to God, “O God, may the pictures I take talk of thy righteousness all the day long!”

Whether it’s in the actual content of what I’m taking a picture of or not, every picture promotes something, and all I want is to ever take pictures that promote a lifestyle of righteousness. God’s righteousness! But perhaps “lifestyle” doesn’t fully encompass what I’m trying to say. Atmosphere? Presence? In other words, does the righteousness of God just ooze from my character? Does it exist in all of everything of me? Is his righteousness pouring out of my words, my actions, my thoughts . . . my pictures? All the day long?

Out of the abundance of the heart, the “mouth” speaks. The “mouth” of the wicked pours out evil things, but the “mouth” of a righteous man is a well of life. The “lips” of the righteous know what is acceptable, but the “mouth” of the wicked speaketh frowardness.

It’s interesting to think about what the Bible has to say about photography when you think of it in terms of words. By implication, God has a lot to say about exactly what it means to raise the standard of excellence in photography!

6138_Big Bend National Park-Texas-USA_Canon EOS 5D Mark II, 21 mm, 1-13 sec at f - 16, ISO 100

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