The Power of Words (Part 1)

Words have power. They have the power to heal or destroy, to soothe or anger, to encourage or tear down, to show love or hate and to speak truth or a lie. At any given time any one of these things come out of the same mouth. James 3:9-10 says, "With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth came praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be." Intentional or not we are held accountable for the words we speak.

The Bible has much to say about the power of words. I spoke at a Women's Conference a couple of years ago about this very subject. It's a subject I am passionate about because I am a very literal person. I listen to the words people say and to my detriment, believe them. This has caused me much pain and hurt in my life because most people casually toss out words with no thought to the meaning behind them at all. I know some probably didn't meant what they said at the time, others just didn't follow through and others said things just because it was socially expected. After years and years of listening to empty words, it's hard for me to trust what people say.

It is very hard for me to accept a compliment. I have a lot of negative statements rolling around in my mind so if I hear something positive about myself it usually gets cancelled out by the negative. The positive statement doesn't line up with the other statements so it's rejected. I don't believe it and usually don't even remember the compliment. But, if I am given a derogatory remark, I receive it, believe it and add it to my collection of negatives that are etched in my mind. Negative words have more power behind them than positive words. It takes many, many positive words to cancel out a negative word, but it only takes one negative word to obliterate a positive word.

Words can be used as weapons. Words chosen specifically to inflict pain are as intentional as if you had drawn a gun, cocked it and pulled the trigger. Sometimes the words are fired as a retaliation, other times the words are not warranted at all. Words spoken merely for the satisfaction of watching someone suffer are nothing short of poisonous. Young people just do not understand the repercussions of tormenting words. They find a weaker person and make a show out of humiliating them in front of others. In some perverse way it makes them feel superior and stronger. They spew venom on their victim and walk away not giving another thought to their words. The victim, though no wounds show, walk away bleeding internally. The words that were spoken burned into their mind.

The saying "Sticks and stones can break your bones, but words can never hurt you", is far from the truth. Actually, broken bones heal, wounds from words are never gone. We learn to push the hurt down and to live with the pain. Even if some healing takes place, there is an ugly scar there to forever remind you of the pain of those words that cut like a knife.

When harsh words are spoken they are usually out of emotion: hurt, anger, fear, rejection ... When emotion is behind the words said, they are thrown to hit and hit hard. We want them to hurt because we are in pain. We get momentary satisfaction never thinking of the lasting effects the words will have. Proverbs 15: 1 says, "A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger."

The lesson I am preparing for a class on Sunday is about "The Gentleness of Words". In the same way angry words can be used as a weapon to inflict pain, gentle words can be used as a weapon to stop pain and anger, like a fire extinguisher. It's up to us to choose our words. Do we want to use words that tear down, cause pain and crush the spirit, or do we choose words that encourage, lift up, heal pain, and glorify God? Proverbs 18:21 says, "The tongue has the power of life and death."

The Bible tell us the tongue is the most difficult part of the body to control. So we need to take the time to think before we speak. We have to keep God's word in our minds so that it will affect what comes out of our mouth. Psalm 139:4 says, "Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely O Lord." If God knows what we are going to say before we say it, what would He say to us? A good way to measure if your words should be spoken is, before you speak ask yourself: Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary? Would God approve?

Psalm 19:14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Amen.