THE POWER OF WORDS

Words Greatly Matter for Our Spiritual Condition


Words matter.


God’s words, our words, and the words of others—what we say can have incredible positive or negative impact. Indeed, words greatly matter.


PERFECT WORDS
The greatest writer of all time wrote the single best masterpiece of literature. In it, he repeatedly tells us that his words matter most.


“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:1-5 NIV


God always chooses His words with perfect precision. We won’t perfectly understand His Word until Heaven, but we study the Bible and try. Devoted Christ-followers strive with all their might to grasp Christ’s messages from his holy Word, the Bible. God’s word is rich and feeds our souls. It is a tremendous gift and it is ours to explore, study, and cherish. God’s words are always full of wisdom.


On the other hand, we mortals are often guilty of gushing forth careless, meaningless, or innocuous words. Worse, we can spew hurtful, mean, or destructive ones. Our foolish words lead to foolish ways. As Isaiah 55:8-9 demonstrates, God’s ways are not even close to ours.


“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, ”declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9 NIV


We should aspire to be like Christ, and choose our words carefully. Often, though, that is not what happens. Out of our foolish thoughts come foolish words–those that should not have been said.


Allow me a slightly divergent thought but a corollary to this idea. There are also words we do not say, that we should say. But I digress.


FOOLISH WORDS
I sometimes have the lips of a fool. Carelessly, sometimes recklessly, I’ll say the wrong thing, the right thing at the wrong time, or the right thing in the wrong way. Whatever the situation, it usually results in a negative outcome. I’ve heard it said: “Say what you mean, and mean what you say, but just don’t say it mean.” It is a saying worth remembering. Proverbs 18:6-7 reminds me that my foolish words will bring me pain, suffering, and even death! It is avoidable if I rely on God’s wisdom, not mine.


“The lips of fools bring them strife, and their mouths invite a beating. The mouths of fools are their undoing, and their lips are a snare to their very lives.”  Proverbs 18:6-7 NIV


God’s wisdom tells us to repent over our foolish utterances. And then, to immediately retract a foolish statement by admitting what we said was not the words of life Christ wants us to speak.


But no, not me! When being a fool, I follow the motto: “When you’ve dug yourself into a hole, keep digging!” Unconsciously, I shut down the Holy Spirit, take back control of my life, and keep my lips moving as the hole gets deeper and deeper. The negative consequence of my ditch digging produces unwanted strife.


STRIFE IS A DISTRACTION
If we are not careful, our words can produce relational strife, which distracts us from focusing on the joy, peace, and love of Christ. I thank God for my wife, who has a very low tolerance for strife. Her negative reaction to my foolishness is such a blessing that it pulls me back to a calm, steady state for a while—until my next display of foolishness. Ugh. Poor Patty, who has to put up with such a broken vessel.


Words reflect our thoughts and can create environments of conflict or peace. How often do we embroil ourselves in disputes because of hasty or harsh words? It's as though our tongues are small fires capable of igniting great forests.


"Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one's life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell." James 3:5-6 NIV


Scripture guides us in harnessing our words to bless others. It helps us avoid burning down the forest of relationships. Green is good. Red is bad. I need to stay in the green zone, and when I see yellow smoke, quickly put out the fire with the love of Christ and the power of God’s Holy Spirit. James 3:17-18 teaches that while no human can fully tame the tongue, we can and should aim to always align our speech with the divine, keeping our serenity, and that of others, in the lush green zone.


"But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness." James 3:17-18 NIV


Once I realize I’ve said foolish things and created strife, I repent to God and attempt to make amends with the person who had to bear my foolishness. Sometimes, this isn’t possible. For example, sometimes I am a fool with an unnamed person in a customer call center. My idea that they are there to serve me often gets me in trouble.


We remember Mark 10:45 and realize we are here to serve, not be served.


“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45 NIV


Whenever I’ve been a fool, Christ always comes to the rescue. His Word gives me hope, discipline, and direction. His word promises me I have a future with him in heaven for eternity. His word disciplines me and provides corrective actions. And his word gives me greater intimacy with Christ.


WARNINGS FROM SCRIPTURE
Scriptures are replete with warnings to choose our words carefully. For example:


"Set a guard over my mouth, LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips." (Psalm 141:3 NIV).


This prayer of David is a beautiful plea for divine intervention to control one’s speech. It acknowledges the power of words and the necessity of wisdom in using them.


As followers of Christ, we are called to speak in ways that reflect His love and truth. Ephesians 4:29 guides us to use words to build each other up.


"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." (Ephesians 4:29 NIV).


This directive encourages us to use our words for edification rather than destruction, aiming to uplift rather than undermine.


The grace of God is our ever-present help in moments of foolishness. When we fail, as described in Proverbs 28:13, we are assured mercy if we confess our folly. God is always faithful in forgiving and restoring us.


"Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy." Proverbs 28:13 NIV


Even when our lips lead us into deep pits of strife, Jesus's redemptive love is steadfast. He extends his hand and pulls us out of the self-inflicted trenches we’ve dug. 1 John 1:9 assures us we’re purified from our sins if we confess and repent.


"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9 NIV


Then, we can move on to words of healing as Christ applies the balm of forgiveness. God forgives us, and we forgive others. But we can’t give this gift to others if we have not received it ourselves. Step One is to fully receive Christ’s pardon for our foolish words; Step Two is to pass on this gift we’ve received from Christ to our fellow sojourners.


WORDS OF HEALING
In a world where words often divide, we are called to speak life into each other's hearts. Our words should not be weapons but tools for healing and encouragement. The Apostle Paul exhorts us in Ephesians 4:29 to use our speech to build up those around us, particularly within the community of believers.


"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." Ephesians 4:29 NIV


This passage reminds us that our words should be apt and uplifting, tailored to the listener's needs. When we follow this scriptural advice, our words become a source of comfort and strength to others. We can feel the fresh breeze of the Holy Spirit blowing gently across our cheeks. Free from strife and discord, we can experience greater joy and peace, which is God’s desire for those who follow him.


CONCLUSION
Words truly matter. They have the power to create or destroy. Our words can serve to heal or harm. God’s wisdom dictates that we heed Biblical instruction to watch our words carefully. We must intentionally choose our words with precision, understanding their impact is often profound.


Let’s always reflect God's heart in what we say. And when we are the inevitable fool, let us quickly repent to one another lest we shut off the sunlight of God’s Holy Spirit. May we avoid the dark clouds of strife and enjoy bright sunny days basking in the glow of God’s radiant peace and love.


As we absorb and live out the wisdom of the Bible, may we use our words to glorify God and edify those around us. I pray we quickly turn away from foolish utterances that lead to strife and embrace and share words of life that feed our souls.


Finally, let us continually seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance to control our tongues. We’ll avoid pitfalls of foolishness and glorify God in word and deed. May our words be obedient instruments of His grace and truth, drawing others closer to the love of Christ.


Amen.
Your aspiring servant, Daniel M.
 April 24, 2024
POSTSCRIPT: Dear friends, if this transparent “Conversations with Christ” blesses you, please go to www.SOLIDpastors.org, where you will find these posted, and a repository of all, in English and Spanish. If you ever want to chat, you can reach me at [email protected]. May Christ bless you richly as you have your own intimate conversations with Christ.