The Power of Words

I love words.

From the time I was young, I have been fascinated by words. Big words, little words, words that stand alone and words that mean nothing without the company of others. I didn't realize it then, but now I know what drew me to those mysterious combinations of letters was power.

Words are powerful.

According to the Bible . . . 

Proverbs 18:21 says that the tongue (words) has the power of life and death. In Matthew 12:37 Jesus says, "For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned." The Apostle John identifies Jesus as the Word (John 1:1, 14).

I say it again--words are powerful.

With great power comes great responsibility.

This truth has been recognized by men through the ages. From Voltaire, Presidents Theodore and Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill--even Uncle Ben in Spiderman--we have understood that whenever there is power, it is accompanied by obligation.

Words, then, in their great power carry with them an equally great responsibility.

The responsibility is ours.

We are responsible for the words we use, and how we use them. Everyone knows it's not only what we say, but how we say it, that matters. This is a lesson I learn over and over--and then seem to forget--with my wife, my children, my friends, and everyone else around me.

Words can build up or tear down, heal or wound, even, as Proverbs says, bring life or death.

That's power. That's responsibility.

Thankfully, we have a guide to follow. 

The Bible, God's Living Word, tells us how to use words correctly. Like money, authority, knowledge, or any other tool, words are neither inherently good or bad.

It's how we use them that matter.