Treasure Simplicity

My message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 2:4

“Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, upon this continent, a new nation.”

President Abraham Lincoln wrote and delivered his Gettysburg Address in November 1863. Lincoln reportedly wrote this speech on the train between Washington and Gettysburg.

As presidential speeches go, it’s one of the shortest, coming in at less than three hundred words. Maybe that’s why it has stood the test of time.

Paul shares a valuable lesson that Lincoln must have known:

There is power in simplicity.

When your message is true—as Paul’s was—you don’t need to hide behind superlatives and hype. In fact, the hoopla often detracts from the focus of what you’re trying to accomplish.

I’m not arguing for poorly written or inane communication (neither Paul nor Lincoln insulted their readers’ intelligence), but take a look at your letters, news releases, and marketing copy. Do you need a superlative filter?