Words have power. They are used to encourage and build up, and also to put down and demean. And without a doubt we can bless and bring life or curse and bring death with the words we use.
We’ve all likely experienced how one kind word can make our day and how one stinging comment can stick with us for years. But it seems we forget the power of our own words. And sometimes we curse others in our heart even if we never open our mouth.
We’re taught to bless our enemies – those who seek to cancel us and cause us harm. And although they curse us, we’re called to a higher standard – to pray for God’s blessing on them even though they’re out to get us. This is not easy to do, but it remains our practice of love all the same. And can play out in big and small ways.
For instance, if we get pulled over for speeding, it’s easy to talk bad about the officer and how he was just out to get us. Likewise, if we don’t get the job we interviewed for, we might be tempted to talk bad about the hiring manager or the company. But even when we’ve been treated unfairly, we’re still called to bless – praying for the officer and the manager that they experience the fullness of God’s goodness in their life. This is not to overlook injustices. But it does train our hearts in the way of Christ.
And this is true even with those we like. While we’re not prone to curse them, we’re often neglectful and still fail to actively bless them. To fulfill our duty to love means we must also wash them with our words of blessings – regularly evoking God’s goodness on their behalf.
In the end, remember your words hold power. Use them to speak life and magnify love.
Photo by Pedro Forester Da Silva on Unsplash
