Words Matter – Use Them Carefully

Scripture: Proverbs 13:3; Colossians 4:6; Ephesians 4:19

Title: Words Matter – Use Them Carefully

Theme: Using Words for Good

This sermon speaks about the power of our words and how we can use our words to bring healing and wholeness instead of destruction and damnation.

INTRO:

Grace and peace from God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit!

I want to talk to you today about words. In particular how we use our words in our everyday lives and how we can make those words have more positive and uplifting power.

Every one of us uses words. In fact, in a recent study (https://ubrp.arizona.edu/study-finds-no-difference-in-the-amount-men-and-women-talk/) it was discovered that the average person uses approximately 16,000 words a day. That is to say, we use an average of about 1,000 words per hour each day.

Now, of course some people use more words while others use fewer words. In that same study, one person discovered that on average they used only 795 words every day, while another person discovered that they used an average of 47,000 words a day. I think we would all agree that is quite a difference.

It would natural for some people to use more words than others. A teacher for example would use more words than say the average construction worker or the average person who lives alone. A mother with young children would no doubt use more words than an engineer who is working on a project by themselves.

Most languages have around 300,000 different words that people can choose to use. Portuguese has a little over 800,000 words that are available while English has a little over 500,000 different words. There is a language that is unique in that it has only 340 words. It is called Taki Taki (also call Sranan). Taki Taki is an English-based Creole spoken by 120,000 people in the South American country of Suriname.

Of those 500,00+ plus words that we have at our disposal in the English language the average English speaking person uses less than 10% of them on a daily bases. Most English speaking adults know the meaning of over 40,000 words but use only about 50% of them in everyday conversation.

With all of that in mind let’s take a few minutes this morning to see how we can use our words to not only enhance our lives but the lives of others.

I. Words have Tremendous Power

All one has to do is to open up the Bible and you can see the power and the majesty of words; especially when they are being spoken by the Lord God Almighty –

“In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, ‘Let there be light, and there was light.” – Genesis 1:1-3 (NRSV)

As you go on and read the rest of Genesis chapter one you read how everything was created and blessed by God’s words – God literally spoke everything into existence and then proclaimed a blessing over everything that He had created.

The Apostle John goes even further in the beginning of his gospel by referring to Jesus as the Word, or self-expression of God. The Word, though distinct from God is Himself also God and the One through whom the world was created. The Word is therefore the giver of life and the light of life. (see John 1:1-5)

We see the power of words for good and for evil in the Garden of Eden. The LORD tells Adam and Eve that they have been created in His image and for His glory and honor. They have been created to enjoy Him, to enjoy themselves, one another and all of creation. They are given the power to multiply and to transform the whole earth to look like the Garden of Eden.

But we also hear in the Garden the first words of evil on the earth. Where Our Heavenly Father used words to bring order out of chaos the Evil One; the Devil used/uses words to steal, kill and destroy.

In Genesis chapter three the Devil twists and mixes truth with lie in order to tempt and deceive Adam and Eve. His questions are not innocent as he twists the conversation to make it seem like the commandments of God are unreasonable and unfair. The Devil’s use of speech and his ability to twists the truth into lies brought brokenness, isolation and death into our world.

The writer of Proverbs 18:21 testifies of the power of words:

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.”

Our speech; our words (out tongue) have power this morning. Words have tremendous power. Think for a moment: