Whose Font Is That?

Two researchers, Hyunjin Song and Norbert Schwarz, discovered a strange reason people were not exercising: typeface.

They gave people written instructions on how to do a physical exercise. If the instructions were in an easy-to-read font (Arial), people estimated that it would take about 8 minutes to do the exercise and that it wouldn’t be too difficult. They were willing to incorporate the exercise into their daily workout. But if the instructions were given in an overly decorative font (Brush Script MT Italic), people estimated it would take almost twice as long—15 minutes—to do the exercise, and they rated the exercise as being difficult to do

Clarity, it seems, is everything.

In Colossians 4, Paul asks the church there to pray for his effort to spread the Gospel, specifically asking “that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak”. He knew that for his effort to bear fruit he had to speak in a clear way that people would respond to.

It’s notable that in the next verse (4:5-6) he commands them, “Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.”

He wants them to make sure their speech was “flavored” correctly so people would respond. That flavor is their conduct. If a wild font can make people tune out and turn off, how much more can a wild life?

You might have heard the saying, “You might be the only Bible a person will ever read.” Are we written in a way that makes it easy to read or easy to mislead? Are we simple and straightforward, or are we crooked and confusing?

If your life is a hindrance to others leading the gospel, it might be our font.

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