The Power of Words
The religious and philosophical writer Joseph Telushkin stressed a couple of years ago: “If you can’t go for 24 hours without saying unkind words about others, you have lost control of your tongue!” Joseph Telushkin lectured on the awesome power of words.
He suggested taking a revealing “tongue test” to see where you stand. “Monitor your conservation for two days”, he said. “Note every time you say something negative about someone, who is not present. Also record, when others do so, as well as your reactions when it happens. Do you try to silence the speaker, or do you ask for more details?” Telushkin concluded, “Most of us who take the test are unpleasantly surprised.” Now you can guess, why… .
I found a good description in Proverbs 6:16-19, relate to the causes and effects of damaging words:”Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies, and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers”.
But also written words can damage. I described it as “aggression’s hotbed” in one of my earlier write ups”. Many times it’s painful to read columns or editorials, where journalists don’t care self-disciple, responsibility, inquisitiveness and respect. We all know, how journalists can mentally form and shape the public opinion, characters, life, community and the way things go. The power of words, written as well as spoken out, is a weapon, which can hurts - and kill! Writing with a wicked pen and having a sharp tongue doesn’t mean, that we should walk disrespectful through life, as a saying goes: as an elephant in China!
Matthew 12:34 says, “Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks”.
“The place to begin dealing with our words is inside in our thoughts about others and us. If we accompany that with a commitment to stop speaking harmful words. We’ve begun a dramatic mid-course correction in life”, another religion writer, Dave McCasland said.
Careless words can really inflict wounds that last a lifetime. Kind words can bring healing and encouragement. Everything we say has the power to hurt or to heal. Let’s accept this great challenge and let’s think first, before we open our mouth or before we start writing.
That’s why I like working at home. Helps me to keep my mouth shut. Nice article.
Hi Klaus
Nice article but not much to do with living in The Philippines! Well, not directly anyway!
All the best
Malcolm
Hi Klaus A thought provoking reference to biblical sound advice for the bridling of the tongue, we could use such great advice, but i have to support Malcolm and apart from one or two flaming spirals, I fail to see what your post has to do with living in the Philippines.
But nevertheless thought provoking, thank you Klaus, I am sure we will all benefit from such good advices.
I believe this article is a helpful reminder in verbal communications whether we live in the Phils or not. One example: cussing/ cursing, may it be said in english or bisaya is still considered a bad manner.
Good post, Klaus.
Thank you, Klaus. This is universal wisdom. There is more of the same in Proverbs 10:11-21
As a missionary, I feel disinclined to preach, so I appreciate your fine sermon!
This is good reminder though, for all of us who leaves comment on this site. So let’s be sure our brains are in gear before engaging our fingers on the keyboard.
Undeniably, words have power. Just observe a few mistaken choices of words from some posters here, and witness how tempers flare! And to think that these are from people behind computer screens, across cyberspace… Somehow the words seem to invade our being, so much so that we feel as if the poster is right there in front of our face!
Now a thought occurred… What, just what if some words did not exist in our vocabulary? What happens then? Would we perhaps be incapable of feeling the emotion that represent those words because there are no words for them?
What if there were no words for hatred, anger, jealousy, envy? Would we then not feel hatred, anger, jealousy or envy because we would not have the right words to trigger them?
Just musing… Well, it’s 1:00 something in the wee hours of this morning so probably I should stop thinking now?
And what if there is no word for sleep? Probably I will never feel sleepy?
What a boon, I could play 24 hours a day. But probably I would not want to do that either…
Hi to all of you and thanks a lot. Jul, actually you are right. Power of Words has nothing to do where we are living, verbal or written…