Power of words

Words. Little pieces of the universal puzzle that bring sense and depth to our worlds.  Often times, it has been said that words are powerful weapons given unto mankind; sometimes misunderstood, regretfully held back and often mishandled or abused.

Gathered up and arranged carefully, they have an amazing almost magical effect on those who listen to or read them. They have the power to draw inspiration out of the bleakest of situations and paint a smile; far more beautiful than a thousand sunsets, on a person’s face.

Words alone can create a colourful world. Unfortunately, these same words, when misused, can tear down that world and fill it with destruction . Perhaps the most regrettable thing about words is that, when ill-used, they live on forever. Even though the speaker might eventually forget what s/he said, out of anger, out of spite or malice, it might be impossible for the one towards which those words are directed to simply get them out of his/her system.

Each of us is a custodian of this powerful tool, housed in our mouths and our minds. It is therefore extremely important that we guard whatever words come forth from us and choose them as carefully as we would a valuable piece of jewellery to complete a fine outfit. This is probably why we are urged to “think before we speak”, to meditate on the value of what we were about to say.

The wise King Solomon, in Proverbs 18 verse 21 wrote; ‘Death and life are in the power of the tongue’. According to Buddha, words have the power to both destroy and heal. When words are both true and kind, they can change our world.

Think about your words and the way in which you speak or write them. Are they soothing and kind? Do they praise (where need be) or tear down (unnecessarily)? Do they bring happiness or draw anger from recipients?  Are they warm and inviting or cold and reproachful? Do they embrace the listener or sting them like the fang of a viper? After making utterances, do you have regrets of what you have just said?

As you ponder on these questions, here are a few quotes on the power of words that I found astonishing and hope you will be just as touched by them.

“If someone were to pay you 10 cents for every kind word you ever spoke and collect from you 5 cents for every unkind word, would you be rich or poor?”

Source unknown

“The language we use to communicate with one another is like a knife. In the hands of a careful and skilled surgeon, a knife can work to do great good. But in the hands of a careless or ignorant person, a knife can cause great harm. Exactly as it is with our words.”

Source unknown

 

“Whatever words we utter should be chosen with care, for people will hear them and be influenced by them for good or evil.”

Buddha.