Words Create Worlds
I came across a phrase a while ago that has stubbornly stuck with me: Words create worlds.” That old axiom may not be in the Bible (it’s attributed to Jewish theologian Abraham Joshua Heschel), but it is nonetheless true. It refers to the power of the tongue to either bless or curse.
Scripture’s way of saying this is found in Proverbs 18:21 – “The tongue has the power of life and death...” The Message offers this paraphrase: “Words kill, words give life…you choose.”
Every single one of us could give testimony to the truthfulness of this verse. We can go back in our minds to the teacher or coach or pastor or parent or grandparent who spoke life-giving words to us. We can remember how much wind it put in our sails when they said things such as…
“I believe in you.”
“I see some great things in you.”
“You are going to be a difference-maker.”
“You have some incredible potential.”
We can also go back in our minds to hurtful, destructive words that scared us and scarred us.
“I’m disgusted by you.”
“I’m sick of you.”
“You’re a loser.”
“You will never amount to much.”
Whether they were positive or negative, even though it may have been years ago, we still remember those words and can still feel the emotion they generated like it was yesterday.
The words in our past echo in our present and they continue to shape our lives today.
Words really do create worlds.
The Weight of a Pastor's Words
This is doubly true if you are a pastor or leader. As an authority figure, your words carry more weight, and they have more power. Your words are amplified and magnified.
I can still remember a moment that occurred over 60 years ago. I was asked to stand in the pulpit of our church and read a section of Scripture. It was such an honor for a nervous 12-year-old boy.
When I was finished, our pastor took me aside and complimented me for doing such a good job. Then he added, “You know, I could see you standing in the pulpit as a pastor.”
Could it be that deep down in my subconscious, those words lay dormant, only to be reinforced and revived when, as a 29-year-old schoolteacher, I was told by another pastor, “I think you have what it takes to be in full-time ministry”?
Two pastors saw some potential in me and articulated it. I have to wonder how much their words resulted in me entering the pastorate – a calling I have been in for over 40 years.
You may never have realized the indelible mark your words could have on a person. It may be only for a moment…but then again, it could change the course of their life.
“The tongue has the power of life and death…” Words create worlds. What kind of world are you creating for those around you?
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