The Power of Words

The lectionary reading that I've been thinking about the last couple of days is from Esther 7:1-10. The verse that struck me both Monday and today was this one, from the end of 7:8 --

As soon as the word left the king's mouth, they covered Haman's face.

The words that left the king's mouth were powerful -- they had substance and effect. They "covered Haman's face."
As children, we probably all heard the phrase, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." It's not true, is it? We tell it to kids so that they can maintain some of their ability to ignore the negative, hurtful statements that they will hear throughout their lives, but words can be powerful. They certainly can hurt.

They can also be used to create, to build, to affirm and to bring joy.

In the beginning of Genesis (haha -- In the Beginning...), God used words to create the world -- "God said...and it was good." We are created in the image of God, and while we don't spend our days creating worlds, we are given the gift of creation with words.

In just the past couple of weeks, I've seen how powerful words can be. I watched my husband say three simple words to a man, and turn on a lightbulb powered by affirmation in his spirit, lighting his face with joy. I've watched a congregation use spoken and sung words to create a fitting goodbye for a friend. When my younger son came home with his midterm report -- all A's and just one B -- he had to call and TELL me, so that I could TELL him how great it was -- how great HE was. JtM took the simple name of a planet and turned it into hilarity (and I say no more about it -- use your imagination). Read the poem on this hyperlinked page -- it's the second part of the devotion, and then tell me that words don't have the power to create vivid images. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but sometimes words are more effective than a picture ever could be.

We can hurt each other with words. Sometimes without even knowing the consequences, we use words to make a person feel smaller or "less." There are times when we use words like weapons, intending to inflict pain. There are those who completely understand the power of words and are skilled in their execution.

We kid ourselves when we say that words are powerless.

In fact, it occurs to me that one of the most powerful tools we have in our walk with God, as we seek to do His will, is prayer. Words sent on wings to God. I don't argue that prayer is limited only to words, but words can be used as a strong and vital link to our creator. Bear with me for just one second as I modify the verse above:

As soon as the words left the child's mouth in prayer, they covered God's heart.

Never doubt the power of words.

Images: The first one is the sky on the way to a meeting that I had at church last night. The second one is sunflowers outside of McDonalds.