Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
This automated analysis scores the text on the likely presence of emotional, language, and social tones. There are no right or wrong scores; this is just an indication of tones readers or listeners may pick up from the text.
A score of 0.5 or higher indicates the tone is likely present.
Emotion Tone
Anger
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Disgust
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Fear
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Joy
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Sadness
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Language Tone
Analytical
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Confident
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Tentative
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Social Tone
Openness
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Conscientiousness
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Extraversion
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Agreeableness
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Footprints
Psalm 37:23-24, Psalm 119:133
If you look at my yard after a snowfall, you will see paths and prints zigzagging all over left
by my two dogs.
One jumps first in the new snow and the other usually isn’t too far behind.
The
taller dog typically goes first creating a path while the low-to-the-ground, stocky fella is happy to
hop onto her trail.
Mostly, I feel, as he doesn’t like his belly to get cold (it tends to drag in the snowtoo many cookies!).
When the snow eventually melts, the paths they created are easy to see, clearly
outlined and hard to miss.
One can see similar paths while on a walk in the woods.
Animal trailssome old, some new.
A week or so ago I found myself sitting in the driveway of someone I did not know.
Nobody
was home.
My car had misbehaved and I was forced to sit and wait for help.
I sat facing a
mountainside.
My eyes caught movement to my right, and I quickly turned to look.
Six or so deer
had crossed the road behind me and were running through a corn field next to me.
When they
reached the bottom of the mountain, they fell into line behind one another and followed the well-laid
paths set before them.
I watched as they ran up the steep slope effortlessly, their footing sure and
stable.
No slipping.
No sliding.
No falling.
Once at the top, they stopped to graze and look around.
I
then noticed, really noticed, the trails they traveled.
With no leaves yet on the trees, these paths were
easy to see.
I wondered to myself when and what in nature first created this path.
Was it a big,
beautiful buck intent in his purpose and just plowing through rough terrain unaware of the scrapes
and cuts left in his flesh from the thorny bushes?
Or, was it perhaps a protective doe with fawns in
tow looking to lead them to a safer place?
I allowed my mind to drift back in time to snowfalls when
my son was small.
What parent at some point has not went ahead in a snowfall, shortening their stride, so their
children could follow in their footprints when they got tired?
I thought about my own travels in
snowstorms and how grateful I am to have a way paved before me, either by snowplow or even
other cars.
Footprints.
Stop and think for a moment about whose footsteps you wanted to follow in growing up.
What shoes did you want to put on if even just for a day?
Who did they belong to?
Oh, most
everyone has wanted to follow in another’s footsteps whether it was a parent, grandparent, sibling,
cousin, etc.
A crazy, fun-loving uncle.
The one cousin that let you do all the things mom wouldn’t
let you do.
Maybe it wasn’t even a family member!
Or a real person?
We all know a little one (ok-or
an older one…) that aspired to be spiderman or wonder woman!
We can all agree there is someone in our lives that had great impact and influence on us.
This
person(s) most likely served instrumental in contributing to who you are today — shaping in many
ways your beliefs, attitudes, actions, routines, traditions, rationales and beliefs about so many things.
About yourself.
Others.
The world.
Your faith.
I still smile and feel a little flutter in my heart when I
think about those that knowingly and unknowingly helped shape who I am today.
The footprints
they left for me are still in my heart to this day.
So, what do our footprints look like?
What do they say about us?
Are we leaving prints that
others would want to follow?
Are they clearly defined and outlined, representing what and who we
stand for and believe in?
In which direction do they lead?
These are questions we should ask
ourselves daily in the world we live in today.
Why?
Because as Christians, our footprints are
distinctly different.
If as Christians we leave our print in this world, then others should be able to see
Christ in us.
No guessing.
Clear.
Undeniably followers of Jesus.
So, what exactly does it mean, and what must we do to be followers of Jesus?
We think we
know, but do we?
Is it really just enough to believe?
Must we do more?
When Billy Graham was 96 years old (or young we could say…), he was asked, “What does
it mean to follow Jesus?”
And as only Billy Graham could reply, “First, it means to be committed to
Him as our Saviour and Lord.
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