Good vibes only.

The power of words

“Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.”

Among my weird and questionable traits - I find myself constantly quoting movies, (among the many, Disney is the highest ranking quoted) me and my siblings play this game where we’ll pull a random quote and you have to guess where it’s from - there’s no way I could remember the states of change model I learnt about in Psychology, but I’ll happily act out and quote perfectly my favorite scene from Hercules.

Words stick with us. The fun and comical, but also, the opposite.

I’ve heard in my time there are two types of words you can choose to speak - words of life, and encouragement, or words of death, negativity.

In the Bible, when Mary was approached by the angel Gabriel and told she would conceive a son through the Holy spirit, she replied “How can this be so? since I am a virgin". There was also a lad in the bible called Zachariah, approached by the same angel told that his wife would conceive a son, but he replied “How can I be sure of this?” both so similar in response, but Mary replied with wonder of the works of God, while Zachariah’s words portrayed his doubt and because of unbelief, God made him a mute until he learned the power of his words.

There was a reason as young rascals we were told off for saying certain words, and why we’re taught not to say certain things. You have to attain a license to drive, or shoot a gun, but the most powerful weapon your tongue - is left with responsibility up to you to train it.

St James speaks about the tongue and though small, the incredible power it holds.

So the tongue is a little member and boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! [6] And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is an unrighteous world among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the cycle of nature, and set on fire by hell.

Words can be more destructive then a physical wound - physically you’ll eventually heal, but words can stick around forever.

Death and life are in the gift of the tongue, those who indulge it must eat the fruit it yields. - Proverbs 18:21

Words can condemn, a judges words can lock you away for life, “I do” in a wedding can commit you to each other, a Priest reciting words from a prayer can turn mere bread and wine into Jesus’s flesh and blood, and the choice to speak love can connect you. Jesus speaks about truth, but there is much more to truth then simply telling the truth. He didn’t say “I speak the truth” he said “I AM the way, the truth, and the life.” and when we remember that “God is love”, we identify that Truth, is the language of Love.

which is the opposite of,

• Gossip

• Slander

• Rash judgement

• Harshness and unfairness

• Impatience

We all struggle with these - (yep you reading this, and undeniably me writing this) but I think something bigger we all struggle with are the words we cast on ourselves and choose to believe. There are lies I’ve come to believe as so intrinsic to my being - that reside with my core as truth, though they are a lie from my youth.

God calls us out of this lie of self doubt, of shame, of accusation, and invites us into the knowledge and reality of our skills, gifts, and that we are loved by him without condition. Something I’ve found useful in my own life is speaking words of truth to myself. When I was on mission, my mentor made me begin each of our conversations by saying out loud,

I am a daughter of God, I am beautiful, and I am worthy of love.

Teresa of Avila also talks about setting a mantra for our days - one that speaks truth and helps us to refer back to God in times of busyness. Take a moment now to identify words of truth you need spoken into your life (the opposite of the lie you’ve been telling yourself) and write out your mantra - speak these words of life to yourself in the noisy and quiet moments. Because words are never just neutral - and (speaking from personal experience) it is so worth speaking goodness to yourself, and letting go of those words, to be truly unleashed and experience true freedom.