BY KLAUS DÖRING
WORDS have power. They can destroy and create. Sometimes a single word can change everything.
Do you remember the words and kind acts that encouraged you when you were young? Who was the adult that spoke into your life? Perhaps a teacher, a coach, or a relative changed the trajectory of your life, all with the way they spoke to you. Hopefully, he or she spoke positive words of love and acceptance that encouraged you.
Our words have the unique power to quickly take root in the fertile soil of a child’s spirit. Proverbs 16:24 brings this truth to light, sharing that “kind words are like honey – sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.” A life can be changed forever with as little as a single phrase, an uplifting word or an act of kindness.
The religious and philosophical writer Tulushkin stressed before: “If you can’t go for 24 hours without saying unkind words about others, you have lost control of your tongue!” Joseph Telushkin lectured on the awesome power of words.
He suggested taking a revealing “tongue test” to see where you stand. “Monitor your conversation for two days,” he said. “Note every time you say something negative about someone, who is not present. Also record, when others do so, as well as your reactions when it happens. Do you try to silence the speaker, or do you ask for more details?”
Telushkin concludes, “Most of us who take this test are unpleasantly surprised.” Now, guess why…
I found a good description in Proverbs 6:16-19, relate to the causes and effects of damaging words: “Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet those are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies (!), and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers!”
But also written words can damage. I described it as “aggression’s hotbed” in one of my old columns. Many times, it’s painful to read columns or editorials, where the writer doesn’t care for self-discipline, responsibility, inquisitiveness and respect. We all know how journalists can mentally shape public opinion, character, life, community and the way things go.
The power of words, written as well as spoken out, is a weapon, which can hurt – or kill! Writing with a wicked pen and having a sharp tongue doesn’t mean that journalists should walk disrespectfully through life. Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom, even with a picked pen or sharp tongue.
Matthew 12:34 says, “Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.”
“The Place to begin dealing with our words is inside our thoughts about others and us. If we accompany that with a commitment to stop speaking harmful words. We’ve begun a dramatic mid-course correction in life,” another religion writer, Dave McCasland said.
Careless words can really inflict wounds that last a lifetime, Kind words can bring healing and encouragement. Everything we say has the power to hurt or to heal. Let’s accept that great challenge and let’s think first, before we open our mouth or before we start writing.
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