words matter……
It’s Sunday night and for some reason I am in the mood to write - I had planned to post a submission I’d written some time ago but the subject “the power of our words” has been resonating with me all day. I have always been a strong proponent of the power of our words but the more I live this life the more I see the effects, both negative and positive, that words have had on people. I have always been enamored with language and the beauty of words - both written and spoken. They can however, be very ugly.
Our words have the power to lift or the power to crumble.
Look at our current and last president - if both were placed in this current pandemic situation side by side the messages would be so opposite - Obama projects a sense of calm, order and connectedness while 45 projects unrest, chaos and divide. While each may have the best intention there is a significant difference in their message due to the choice of words, the tone and mannerisms.
These last few weeks I’ve begun to reflect on how I’ve changed since this pandemic - what new or different things am I doing to provide myself with the balance I need; the things that feed my spirit and keep me connected to Him. What changes have been good for me? What do i want to continue when life returns to some semblance of “normal”? Like Arsenio Hall used to say – the things that make you go hmmm-
I’ll share a story about life changing words spoken to me as a young girl - maybe at age 9 or 10 by my grandmother. I was raised in the 70’s and 80’s in what we now call a blended family - it was rare at the time being raised in suburban Pgh PA by a black divorced mom! My mom remarried when I was 9 and I had an amazing although different life with my natural father, bonus dad and mom co-parenting to raise me. Ironically - my technical step dad’s mom and I look a lot a like- sane coloring - skin tone, dark features etc - whenever I was at church with her which was often - she was the church secretary - people would comment to me how much I looked just like Vivian! I knew enough that this was not genetically possible and I finally asked her about it! Her response was priceless - she told me of course we looked alike -God chose us specifically to be a family. She didn’t hesitate, question it or anything - just went about her day, but what those words meant to me carried me, lifted me and helped me accept who and what I was - not caring that we weren’t genetically related - at that moment her blood did run thru my veins because God said so!
Now that story could have played out very differently – she could have responded and said well that isn’t possible I’m not really your grandmother or any other kind of comment not even realizing that it could crush my 9 year old spirit. I’m thankful for her and the example she was and continues to be in my life. We must all take to heart the magnitude of the impact of what we say and how we say it has on others. The bible speaks about the power of our tongue in several verses:
Proverbs 12:18 NIV
The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
Proverbs 15:4 ESV
A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit
Matthew 12:36 NASB
But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment.
Ephesians 4:29 NIV
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
James 3:3-6 NLT
The tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.
“life is the greatest of all statements……….make sure yours speaks volumes”
be joy-yes!