Words can do crazy things. They ignite fires of rebellion and also dampen the flames. They share stories of hope and shame. They also can encourage hearts or tear them to bits.
But it’s not the words that are doing this—it’s you. The way you use your words changes hearts. We have a responsibility to keep our tongues tame and use words wisely.
Authors can use words to share messages of redemption, hope, and grace through their stories. Pastors can use words to teach the flock. Evangelists (that’s you and me, by the way) can use words to share the hope of the Gospel.
Bullies use words to tear us down. Friends use words to build us up.
Do you see the power of words?
At the tower of Babel, God confused the languages so the people could no longer communicate. Their words lost all meaning, and it split an entire people group.
Use Your Words to Build Up
Titus 3:2 tells us to speak evil of no one. Proverbs 18:21 says “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.”
Did someone ever tell you something painful, and you turned it over in your head, analyzing it from every angle? It’s not nice to hurt someone with your words, but it is kind to give them an honest compliment.
Use Your Words to Disciple
If you do it correctly, speaking the truth is loving and kind. Use your words to encourage people to follow God instead of themselves.
Share reality—and the reality is, God provided a way out of our depravity.
Use Your Words as God’s Gift
Do you value words?
Maybe you’re like Moses, who was afraid to speak to his enemies.
Maybe Moses knew the value of his words but didn’t feel adequate enough to use them. But the ability to use words goes far beyond us. They are God’s gift to us.
God wanted to speak through Moses, but Moses backed down. Moses decided he wasn’t worthy, and God was angry with him (Exodus 4:14).
What if the writers of Scripture had decided their words weren’t adequate and never written them?
Wield your words wisely, but don’t refuse to use God’s gift.
Use Your Words to Pray
Our words have power beyond what we imagine when we place them in the hands of the Author of our stories.
Psalm 141:2 mentions that prayer is like a sweet-smelling fragrance.
It also has power. Prayer is a part of the Armor of God (Ephesians 6:18).
Use Your Words to Apologize
You might hate apologizing, but don’t you like being apologized to?
You can respect the people who let go of their pride—even if they don’t agree with you. But maybe they apologized for a different sin, like yelling at you when they should’ve seen the other side of the story.
Apologies shape character. How will it reveal yours?
Use Your Words to Be Silent
A song is nothing but sounds arranged in a certain way. But it’s not only sound the entire way through—to make a song over-the-top awesome, sometimes there has to be a beat of silence.
A moment of nothing.
And that’s what makes some songs truly special.
Sometimes, the best time we use our words is when we’re silent (Proverbs 10:19). If a friend is going through a hard time, your yakking away probably won’t be helpful. In that case, then the beautiful moment is the silence.
Yes, words have power.
But silence does, too.
From the same mouth that we worship God with, we also tear down His workmanship (James 3:10–12, Ephesians 2:10).
Is this what words were meant for?
The most important words of all might be the ones in the Bible—the official, written Word of God. The words in that book speak life, truth, repentance, redemption, resurrection, justice, belonging, kindness, mercy, patience, good news, and the list goes on and on.
There’s wisdom in those words. Healing in those words. Love in those words.
What about your words?
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