A Well Spoken Word

The older I get, and the more I minister to people, the more I understand the powerful impact of my words.  A well spoken word can bring comfort, joy or encouragement.  On the other hand, a word spoken without thought can discourage, destroy hope, or scar another’s heart. 

Jesus Himself understood this revelation.  It is said that “He holds everything together through his powerful words.”  (Hebrews 1:3 God’s Word ©)  The Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary says that His word is the utterance of His power and the expression of it.  That’s a pretty sobering thought.  His words are the expression of His power.  Just think for a moment what His words spoken through your lips could do to change a situation.  I am sure that most of us have had the experience of reading just that right word from the scriptures that brought peace or comfort to us in a time of unrest.  Most of us have probably had the joy of comforting others by sharing a scripture with them when they were hurting.  According to the writer of Hebrews, that is the power of God holding together the situation that you spoke His word into!

For a moment now, think about the potential that His word spoken through your lips would have to hold everything together in your life, according to His perfect plan and principles.  Does that sound kind of outlandish to you?  It is not as crazy a possibility as you may think.  Proverbs 18:21 states that “The tongue has the power of life and death.”  (God’s Word ©)  Jesus told us to speak to the mountains that stand in our way. (See: Mark 11:22-24)

Just as your words can uplift or tear down another individual, your words can bring positive direction to your life.  Your words can bring harmony or they can bring discord.  Many years ago I found myself making a presentation to the entire division that I worked in at Hewlett Packard.  (At this time I don’t remember the particulars of what I was presenting…) One of the managers in charge of the meeting mentioned to me, as I approached the podium, that it was the Division Manager’s birthday that day, and he asked if I would announce it to the employees and then lead the group in the singing of “Happy Birthday.”

Since I have always been comfortable speaking in front of large groups (much more so than talking in small groups – weird huh???), I said “no problem” and proceeded to share whatever vital piece of information was contained in my presentation.  When I was done, I asked the Manager (whom I had never met personally – as I was new to that division) if he would stand up.  I then told everyone that it was his birthday and asked if they would wish him a happy birthday by singing along with me.  Well, wouldn’t you know it, but since I did not have the accompaniment of an instrument to guide me, I started the song off in a key that was way too low with the entire group of hundreds of individuals blindly following suit.  What ensued was a hilarious and completely unharmonious sound that barely resembled the familiar tune that we all sing at family gatherings!  Everybody had a good laugh and the manager was speechless!  Needless to say, I was never asked to perform that task again! (In fact I don’t think that I remained in that division for very long either!!!  - Actually, the group that I was a part of was combined into a new entity with all the manufacturing groups on the West Coast.  My presentation didn’t actually cause that… I think!!!)

That is a funny example but it does show how our words can positively or negatively affect you, another individual or even a group of people.  I would encourage you to take a moment and to really consider what you are about to say when the various situations of life present themselves to you.  Your words can have a powerful affect on that event.  Why not let the power of God’s word, as spoken through your lips bring healing, restoration, peace, joy, encouragement or comfort into the environment in which you are speaking?  Remember Proverbs 18:21… will it be Life or Death?  Stay tuned and keep asking yourself… “What am I expecting today?”