The Power of Words

So I've had my blog up for about, what, two weeks now? I've already had over 100 visits to my page and have had several comments about the words I had written. I can tell I've made someone feel special, I've made someone think a little more, and I had to have made someone laugh at my video of the giraffe feeding!

All of this because of words. The written (and spoken) word can do so many things - it can encourage people, it can lift spirits, it can make you smile, and it can make you think. It can infuriate you, it can make you want to cry, it can make you curl up in a ball and never want to attempt anything ever again.

Words. Just like the ones I'm currently typing (and you are currently reading), there are words everywhere. You can't escape them, our eyes are drawn to them - whether on a cereal box, a billboard, or someone's favorite T-shirt. I have come to the realization that words are everywhere - but not everyone knows how to use them properly.

And by "properly" I don't mean correct grammar. Have you ever heard a person say something demoralizing or rude and not even seem to realize or care that they did? Have you ever read a paragraph and know that you probably wouldn't want that person to be your friend because of what was written? I have heard and read such things - and I ashamedly admit that I have said and written such things as well. I'm sure we all have.

Let me share a verse from my favorite version of the Bible, The Message. It seems to say it the best:

"A bit in the mouth of a horse controls the whole horse. A small rudder on a huge ship in the hands of a skilled captain sets a course in the face of the strongest winds. A word out of your mouth may seem of no account, but it can accomplish anything - or destroy it!
It only takes a spark, remember, to set off a forest fire. A careless or wrongly placed word out of your mouth can do that. By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it, smoke right from the pit of hell." -James 3:3-6

We must remember the power of words - written or spoken.

They can cause the worst kind of feelings . . . they can also be the reason for some of the best emotions imaginable.

Have you ever had someone tell you that you inspired them? Has anyone ever written you a thank-you card so thoughtfully it made you want to do that for everyone? Has anyone ever told the world that you matter and that you're special? Has anyone ever called you a friend? It was awesome, wasn't it?

So, as I sign off for today, I want this to be written on the billboards of my little corner of cyberspace:

No matter how small, no matter how big - words are a very powerful thing. Do you want to be one of those people who abuse that power? Or would you rather harness it and change people with it? You decide - they're your words.