… words are incredibly powerful, if not the most powerful tool on the face of the earth. Possibly the most powerful anywhere, heaven, earth, space, other planets etc. Words create, words destroy. It gives birth to, it kills. Most raging wars going on for decades started on the basis of some words that were allegedly uttered. Words create life, man meets girl, says some sweet words, she is in love, before you know, they come together, a child is born! Words are spoken to motivate, control thousands or people to act in one way or another. Words summons people to our presence and words drive them away. He who has mastered the use of words is set up for a very exciting life. The scriptures tells us that the power of life and death is in the tongue and those who love it will eat the fruit.
In life when it boils down to it, and all is distilled to it’s finest and smallest granular, words might just be that one thing we have to hold on to. The number of times people have said they have nothing, yet they have words. As long as we have words, we have everything, yes EVERYTHING! But we don’t understand the potency and creative power of words. We don’t know what we have, we have no clue how to use it, we waste it, we squander it, we abuse it, we misuse it and we wonder why it never works for us, why it never produces for us. In the beginning all that was, was the Word. Without going into a theological thesis about ‘The Word’ this write up is to stir us up and make us understand and realise the gem that we have. If only we know! If only we understand what words can do for us and others! There is a lot of merit in letting our words be few, in choosing our words carefully, in curbing the impulse to run off with our mouth.
It is interesting that babies never pop out with a fully developed control of words. It is a tool they can not handle so it is not given to them. As grown up we are expected to be in better control. The ability to control, relish, savour and use words judiciously is not automatic, we must learn and exercise ourself in the process.
I have never ceased to be amazed at the changing effect of words. At the beginning of a relationship, girl tells boy that she loves him and he is catapulted into outer space, a few years down the line she says the exact same words and he wonders what she has done or what she wants. Same words, same person but different effect, different impact. Words are pure but affected by the impurities of the environment. The environment of the utterer and that of the receiver. We have a responsibility to purify ourselves, so that the words we utter and the words we receive can deliver on it’s mission.
Miscommunication, lost in translation are all rampant in words transmitting. The imperfection in the mode of communicating being the culprit, be it the transmitter or receiver. When either is corrupted or blocked, there will be loss. When we talk to someone who is day dreaming, distracted, engrossed in something else, deaf or whatever, the words are lost!
May we all use words wisely.
Beautiful Ivory 