Words have the power to build up or to tear down. Your words have the power to build up or to tear down. My words have the power to build up or to tear down. The words I think and say to myself have the power to build me up or to tear me down. The words I think about you have life-giving or relationship-destroying power. The words, messages, and images that I select to speak, nonverbally communicate, or digitally communicate to you will either add life to you or take life from you. Choose wisely.
You may ask, where do my words come from? They come from my storage bin. They’re been etched into my being from my teachers. I’ve been socialized and educated for 55 years by my family system. I’ve been formally educated by teachers and students all my life. I’ve been informally educated and shaped by all the people and experiences throughout my life. I’ve been impacted by all the people who have built me up and torn me down. I’ve been shaped by all the authors I’ve read and the words they’ve used to influence me. My words and stories come from all the people of influence around me who have helped or hurt me. My word bank has deposits and life-changing messages I’ve taken in over time from everyone that I’ve helped or hurt. When I have opportunities like this to communicate with people created in God’s image, I want to choose wisely.
When God’s Word became my primary word shaper, my language changed. My stories changed. My images of God, myself, people, and life changed. My worldview changed. How I think about and communicate with God, myself, and people is continually changing. Why? Because as the Word of God dwells richly in my heart through faith and changes me, I become a channel for authentically communicating God’s love, truth, and grace, and so do you.
We all need boundaries and filters when it comes to our word and image intake systems. Although we may not like to admit it, we are sponges taking in everything we are exposed to. Love always protects. So be careful what you allow your mind and eyes and ears and body to feed on. More is not always better. And what everyone else is feeding on shouldn’t be your influence diet of choice. Choose wisely.
But what if 90 percent of the words and messages we communicate are not spoken through our words? They are spoken through our body language. “I love you.” “Leave me alone?” “Tell me more.” “Seriously?” “I want to know you more.” “Get away from me. I have other more important things to do.” “Wow!” “You’re not worth my time.”
With our spoken and unspoken words, we bless and curse the very people made in God’s likeness whom we live with, work with, go to school with, and see in the mirror. Our neighbors, friends, acquaintances, and enemies all know how we really think and feel about them without our saying a word.
Let’s become more intentional and careful communicators. Let’s engage in a selection process. Let’s carefully choose what we take in and what we give out. Maybe we should ask the people who are closest to us what we are saying, and not saying, through our words and body language. Maybe if we pray before we speak, the words we share, and how we share them, can become more life-giving.
Choose a word each day that you intentionally want to communicate with the people in your life.
Choose wisely!
Impact your world for Christ one word at a time.
The more you listen…the more you will have to say.