Thinking Out Loud, Volume CDLXXVIII

Words are mere sounds emitted from the mouth of an individual, and are totally meaningless, having no power within themselves. Words are potent, with the potential of being able to permanently transform a person's life, both for good or bad. Words can fall flat, having no impact on anyone, never to be remembered again by either the speaker or the hearer. Words can build up or destroy, remaining in the consciousness of a person until he or she enters the grave. Words can produce illness, yet words can heal. Words can cause a person to lose his way. Words can direct a person back to the right path. Words can agree, and words can contradict. In fact, the words you've just read in this paragraph all seem to be contradictory to other words I've written, some even in the same sentence, yet there is truth in basically everything I've said. How can words be so diametrically opposed, yet all be true? Could some of it have to do with the person who is speaking those words? Some words carry weight no matter who it is that utters them. For example, hurtful, destructive words will be harmful coming from anyone. Other words may carry no weight at all if the speaker is a person who has a reputation of not living up to his promises or his claims of self greatness. There are two words we should take a look at while we're on this topic. They're what we know as adjectives, and one or the other of them can be used to describe every individual, and when they're properly used, they will give an indication of how much weight the words of that person may carry. Those words are "reliable" and "unreliable." As I think about those descriptions, I have to wonder which one describes me. "Don't worry, I'll take care of that for you." "Yes, I'll be ready for you to pick me up at 6:00 o'clock." I'll put you a check in the mail today." "I'll be praying for you." "Your secret is safe with me." "Okay, good, I'll see you in the morning." Those are just a few examples of words that either we can put in the bank, or they're completely hollow. It all depends on which of those two adjectives describes the person doing the talking....reliable or unreliable. If I make any of those statements, I sure hope they don't have that hollow, flat sound; instead, I want them to be trusted. Also, I want to arrange my words so they build, and do not destroy. In a conversation with my brother a few days ago, he quoted a little rule of thumb that really made sense: "Never say never, and always avoid always." Here's an example: If I say to my child, "You were supposed to clean your room, and you didn't do it," I am addressing a behavioral issue that needs to be corrected. However, if I say, "You never do what you're supposed to do," I'm attacking and low-rating him as a person, and he will end up with low self esteem as a result. And speaking of kids, if we make a promise to them and don't follow through, our words will become empty even in the eyes of our own children. Do my words carry weight? The answer to that question is completely up to me, and if they don't, I can fix it, although it may take a while to repair my faulty reputation. You see, reputations can be destroyed much faster than they can be rebuilt. Recently I was reading in the most reliable book ever written, and it promised us that we will be held accountable for every idle word. (Matthew 12:36) That tells me we should think before we speak, and we should say what we mean and mean what we say. I pray that my words be a positive force in my world. Preston