May break my bones
But names will never hurt me!
How many of us have said that or had it quoted at us by well-meaning individuals over and over again over time? Like water off a ducks back we're meant to let the words spoken to us, at us, by us, just wash off of ourselves and move forward, stronger, more resilient, more capable. The thing is, sticks and stones are less likely to break someones bones then the power of words to break or heal a heart.
I was listening to the song (down to bottom of the post) today for the first time. Fell in love instantly as I do with songs with a good beat, melody and more importantly words. Words are important! Words do so much more than we think in this world. If you're a Christian you may recognise that WORDS spoke the earth into being and that Jesus was the word and with the word and that words in the Bible are considered to be LIVING words...words are not stagnate things and they have existed before the beginning of time. If words are that old, that intense, surely have have the capacity for great things too!
See even if you're not a Christian, you'll understand the power of words because its not just about being a Christian. For ME yes, I want to speak God's truth to people...but God's truth may or may not involve actually talking about him specifically, it may just be some encouragement, or it may be truth for a person. So yeah, I want to speak God's truth because, even in my entirely imperfect state I believe that if I'm following His truth then I can help with healing in people's lives. And ironically, even when Jesus walked the earth, he did not always talk directly about his Father, many of the words he spoke set people free, a women from adultery, a woman of harlotry (prostitution) who knew her sin was so great she spread scent all over the feet of Jesus, a woman of 12 years of bleeding (which in that culture meant she had to stay on the outskirts), the man at the pool....all these people set free, entirely and completely free, physical and emotional healings because of the WORDS on one man.
I think we spend a lot of time expecting people to show us how they feel and help us to heal by DOING things and that is valid, doing this is important, doing what you SAY you're going to do is even more important....but words are just as important. I have friends all over the place and I cannot see them...so I cannot easily show them the tears in my eyes as I see the pain they're in, or give them the hug I long to give, I'm relegated to the use of words to communicate with them as best I can.
The right words at the right time can heal someone, can give them some hope back, some faith back. Knowing when to hold back words and just listen can help people who need to vent and off load their very heavy burdens. Speaking our own truths in various ways can help people come to terms with their own stuff, and their own pasts, presents and futures...all from the use of honest gentle words.
But the opposite of this is that words can destroy and tear down. Words spoken in anger are hard to forget, words that are manipulative or hurtful or abusive or just plain ignorant can leave scars and damage that takes a life time to overcome.
Words are not everything but they ARE important. Think about your words as best you can and tread lightly, you have the ability to make a difference in someone else's life. Will that difference bring light and healing to them? Or darkness, and crushing despair?
Words - Hawks Nelson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axmYsspKqeI
They've made me feel like a prisoner
They've made me feel set free
They've made me feel like a criminal
Made me feel like a king
They've lifted my heart
To places I'd never been
And they've dragged me down
Back to where I began
Words can build you up
Words can break you down
Start a fire in your heart or
Put it out
Let my words be life
Let my words be truth
I don't wanna say a word
Unless it points the world back to You
You can heal the heartache
Speak over the fear
(Speak over the fear)
God, Your voice is the only thing
We need to hear
(We need to hear)
Words can build us up
Words can break us down
Start a fire in our hearts or
Put it out
Let my words be life
Let my words be truth
I don't wanna say a word
Unless it points the world back to You
(Back to You)
Let the words I say
(Let the words I say)
Be the sound of Your grace
(Sound like Your grace)
I don't wanna say a word
Unless it points the world back to You
I wanna speak Your love
Not just another noise
Oh, I wanna be Your light
I wanna be Your voice
Let my words be life
Let my words be truth
I don't wanna say a word
Unless it points the world back to You
(Back to You)
Let the words I say
(Let the words I say)
Be the sound of Your grace
(Sound like Your grace)
I don't wanna say a word
Unless it points the world back to You
(Back to You)
Words can build us up
Words can break us down
Start a fire in our hearts
Or put it out
I don't wanna say a word
Unless it points the world back to You
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