The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. – Proverbs 18:21
Words have meaning – and those meanings can either be negative or positive, not only on what was said but on how it
was said. I still remember vividly the jokes made on me by friends’ way back in elementary, and I am sure most of us
remember words spoken to us during childhood too. Words that encourage, words that inspire or even words that kill
dreams, and even sometimes kill lives.
Before I continue with how words affect us all, let’s watch this powerful video that further explains how our words affects
the reality of others:
If you haven’t watched the video, please see it first. This campaign made by The Center for Psychological Research in
Shenyang and Ogilvy & Mather, Beijing showed how verbal abuse have detrimental effects especially on children.
This video reveals a very important principle that we all must learn especially inside our homes:
We must understand that we are accountable for every word that comes out of our mouth
Once words are spoken, they can be forgiven but they cannot be forgotten. That is why we need to measure the words we speak even before it leaves us. Because we can unleash hell to someone with the words we speak.
Inside the home, this can be magnified. Because of our familiarity with each other, we can sometimes think that our words are okay even if they are not.
- It was just a joke.
- It was the truth and I had to tell it.
The cliché is true, the pen is mightier than the sword. To take it further, words can wound than swords and that’s why we
need to be careful. It can destroy relationships, careers and lives. But the good news is we can all change. Here are some
of the things to consider whenever we speak to someone:
T.H.I.N.K before you speak.
T (TRUE) – Gossip can kill reputation as fast as a bullet. Before we even come to say something about a person, we
must first ask ourselves, am I going to say something that is true? Are there sources, witnesses or cold facts that will
support what I say – or is it just a hearsay? In our society today, truth can sometimes be blind. Instead of researching,
we sometimes only rely to one news, one post and make a conclusion about a person or an incident. It’s best to measure
the truth before giving an opinion about it.
H (HELPFUL) – Will our words help or will it only worsen a bad situation? There is a time for everything, and according
to another biblical proverb, there is a time to be silent. Regardless of how we think we are right, there are some words
that we shouldn’t say to people. But on the other hand, there are also words that we need to speak even if it hurts, so
that a person can be healed. It is important to know which is which.
I (INSPIRE) – Our words have meaning and we need to make them count. Whenever we speak to someone, let’s be
intentional on making our words mean to them and make them see life from a better perspective. The world is already
hurting, and we need lips that promotes and inspires.
N (NECESSARY) – We need to exercise prudence if we want to speak with an impact. There are people who say a lot,
but doesn’t really say anything at all. And then there are some, who speaks just a single word, and yet they know it is the
word that is needed the most.
K (KIND) – Kind words today are like precious gold. They are not easily given, and they are not easily received. Resolve
to be kind in the way you speak. You may not realize it however, but the truth is that a person can forget what you’ve
said, but they will always remember how you made them feel.
Takeaway:
The words we speak is a revelation of our heart. That is why it is important to guard our hearts. THINK before you speak!
About The Author
Manuel is a guy who loves books. He enjoys reading and does it whenever he can. If he’s not reading, he spends time with his family and also ministers to teenagers in a local church. He does public speaking and talks about issues concerning the youth and young professionals. An Oleia topical oil user and content contributor.
