Danus
Member
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Lately I’ve been on a kick about words. Partly due to the fact that my kids are reaching their teen years and are trying out words, and combinations of words, far advanced from the days when my wife and I where encouraging them to speak at all. If you are a parent you’ve probably read more into that sentence than I wrote, but go ahead and laugh with mutual understanding, because you know what I mean more than what I’ve written of it.
Some catch phrases around my house are; “careful with your words”, “watch what you say”, “choose your words wisely”, “you may NOT speak to me that way”…..and the list goes on. Often I find myself having to take my own advice and caution in the words I use as well, more than I otherwise would. And so, it’s got me thinking more about words.
Did you know there are approximately 6800 to 6900 distinct languages in the world today? That’s at best guess from the experts; people known as “linguist”, scientist who study language.
Some of these languages sort of overlap into different dialects of similar languages, but at best guess 6,800 varieties of speaking, writing, understanding a conveyed message exist in the world today. No other creature on earth has such a vast, complex system of communication than mankind.
Language is just one of the more obvious ways we are made in the image of God. Words have power, and for God the power is quite great. We read in the bible.
Psalm 33:9- For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, and it stood firm.
Hebrews 11:3 - 3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
How powerful is that; to speak the world into existence? One of the more telling accounts of this is found in Genesis 1:1-31 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. ...
We have a very similar power, a similar ability in using our own words. We can’t create a physical universe, or physical realities with our words, but we can create things with our words. We can create spiritual realities that do lead to physical realities.
I have come to know that the single most powerful thing anyone can do is to speak, hear, write or read words. There is no power greater on this earth than words; language. Words can hurt, heal even kill, and we are in His image in part because of words. We don’t think of this as often as we should. Words do more than convey information. The power of our words can actually destroy one’s spirit; even stir up hatred and violence. They not only incite wounds but inflict them directly. The power to use words is a very unique and powerful gift from God, and it is the single most powerful way in which we are connected to God, and each other.
Have you ever hurt anyone with your words? There is this old idiom, you’ve heard it before; “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but…….” It’s a lie. You knew it was a lie when you first heard it. Probably as a young child someone said this to you and it never quite sounded right at all. We know it’s a lie. The truth is you can do more harm to a person with the use of words than you can physically.
What’s the first thing people ask after a tragedy? What’s the one thing people want to know more than anything else after someone if killed or hurt physically in some way? ……WHY?
We asked this question after things like 9/11, Sandy hook, or any other time someone seems to intentionally hurt us. We want to know WHY? We need to know why.
When we are hurt we need words more than anything. We need to understand. It’s not as if words will change what happened. We know that, but we know instinctively that words can heal more than medicine, or hurt more than sticks or stones.
Have you ever been hurt by the words of others? Yes you have. And you have hurt others with your words also. So have I. I’d say daily. Daily this happens in some way; Might be a small thing here or there; Might be intentional or unintentional. We are usually mature enough in our understandings of words and communication to sort of let most of it go, but it happens all the time.
Have you ever healed anyone with your words or been healed by the words of others?
I thought I’d be nice for us all to go on a little bible scavenger hunt. Ready? Now I don’t have a list for you to find, but I do have one rule. You can’t post a verse someone else has posted. That means you’ll have to read all the post. So here is the challenge.
What does the bible say about our words, how we use them? Find scripture that speaks about words and post them. You may post your insight and understanding on the verses you pick or on the verses others pick, but make your own verse finds unique. Hurry before someone else get’s the verse you want to post and you’re just left with providing your own insight into their chosen verse.
Lately I’ve been on a kick about words. Partly due to the fact that my kids are reaching their teen years and are trying out words, and combinations of words, far advanced from the days when my wife and I where encouraging them to speak at all. If you are a parent you’ve probably read more into that sentence than I wrote, but go ahead and laugh with mutual understanding, because you know what I mean more than what I’ve written of it.
Some catch phrases around my house are; “careful with your words”, “watch what you say”, “choose your words wisely”, “you may NOT speak to me that way”…..and the list goes on. Often I find myself having to take my own advice and caution in the words I use as well, more than I otherwise would. And so, it’s got me thinking more about words.
Did you know there are approximately 6800 to 6900 distinct languages in the world today? That’s at best guess from the experts; people known as “linguist”, scientist who study language.
Some of these languages sort of overlap into different dialects of similar languages, but at best guess 6,800 varieties of speaking, writing, understanding a conveyed message exist in the world today. No other creature on earth has such a vast, complex system of communication than mankind.
Language is just one of the more obvious ways we are made in the image of God. Words have power, and for God the power is quite great. We read in the bible.
Psalm 33:9- For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, and it stood firm.
Hebrews 11:3 - 3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
How powerful is that; to speak the world into existence? One of the more telling accounts of this is found in Genesis 1:1-31 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. ...
We have a very similar power, a similar ability in using our own words. We can’t create a physical universe, or physical realities with our words, but we can create things with our words. We can create spiritual realities that do lead to physical realities.
I have come to know that the single most powerful thing anyone can do is to speak, hear, write or read words. There is no power greater on this earth than words; language. Words can hurt, heal even kill, and we are in His image in part because of words. We don’t think of this as often as we should. Words do more than convey information. The power of our words can actually destroy one’s spirit; even stir up hatred and violence. They not only incite wounds but inflict them directly. The power to use words is a very unique and powerful gift from God, and it is the single most powerful way in which we are connected to God, and each other.
Have you ever hurt anyone with your words? There is this old idiom, you’ve heard it before; “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but…….” It’s a lie. You knew it was a lie when you first heard it. Probably as a young child someone said this to you and it never quite sounded right at all. We know it’s a lie. The truth is you can do more harm to a person with the use of words than you can physically.
What’s the first thing people ask after a tragedy? What’s the one thing people want to know more than anything else after someone if killed or hurt physically in some way? ……WHY?
We asked this question after things like 9/11, Sandy hook, or any other time someone seems to intentionally hurt us. We want to know WHY? We need to know why.
When we are hurt we need words more than anything. We need to understand. It’s not as if words will change what happened. We know that, but we know instinctively that words can heal more than medicine, or hurt more than sticks or stones.
Have you ever been hurt by the words of others? Yes you have. And you have hurt others with your words also. So have I. I’d say daily. Daily this happens in some way; Might be a small thing here or there; Might be intentional or unintentional. We are usually mature enough in our understandings of words and communication to sort of let most of it go, but it happens all the time.
Have you ever healed anyone with your words or been healed by the words of others?
I thought I’d be nice for us all to go on a little bible scavenger hunt. Ready? Now I don’t have a list for you to find, but I do have one rule. You can’t post a verse someone else has posted. That means you’ll have to read all the post. So here is the challenge.
What does the bible say about our words, how we use them? Find scripture that speaks about words and post them. You may post your insight and understanding on the verses you pick or on the verses others pick, but make your own verse finds unique. Hurry before someone else get’s the verse you want to post and you’re just left with providing your own insight into their chosen verse.
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