Words Are Alive!

If you've ever been to Walmart (and let's face it, who hasn't?), then you don't need me to tell you that it is an intense experience in humanity. If you go there on a regular basis, you probably don't even notice most of it anymore. It's kind of like going to the circus. No one is surprised to see a clown at a circus, and no one is surprised to see human nature in its purest forms at the Walmart. Truth be told, not many would be surprised to see a clown in Walmart!

However, there is still one thing that never ceases to catch my attention when I'm walking through Walmart, or any public place for that matter.

It absolutely takes me aback to hear families verbally tear each other down one word at a time with complete disregard for the consequences.

Just recently on a shopping trip, I heard a mother say to her middle school - aged child "You must think I'm a moron! I know what I'm looking for! Now get over there and push the cart, stupid!" Not only was it a horrible thing to say, but everyone in the aisle heard it because mom wanted everyone to hear it. The child just put her head down and moved behind the cart.

No one who witnessed this scene appeared to be amused or impressed.

In the same shopping trip, I overheard another woman telling her boyfriend/ husband "So if we're not looking for something for you, then it's time to go home. That's just too bad. We'll go home when I say it's time to go home." She said all of this to him while having a cell phone glued to her head, which could have possibly been the reason she was talking so loudly.

She completely devalued him to everyone within earshot, including the person on the other end of the phone.

I believe that these people very likely care for each other in some capacity. Otherwise, why would they be together in the first place? My question is this:

If people are that ugly to each other in public, how do they speak to each other in private?

Before Adam and I got married, we began making a very conscious effort to intentionally build each other and those around us up with our speech versus verbally tearing others down.

We don't name call. We don't say things just to hurt each other. We are very careful to monitor the intentions of our words when we do argue, and we do the same when dealing with our daughter now.

On the contrary, he builds me up. Everyday, I tell him that I'm proud of the man that he has become. He tells me that I'm beautiful and that he is blessed to have me in his life. We tell our daughter that she is smart, funny, and that we are so happy that God chose us to be her parents. In return, our daughter tells us "I know that you love me," and "you're such a good mommy/ daddy." She's 3 years old, and she's already beginning to understand the power of words.

There's nothing more rewarding than hearing our child breathe words of encouragement and love to others. Imagine that.

When you really love someone with a Christ-like love, you protect them. Hurling hurtful words and insults at those you "care" about is not much different than punching them in the face just to make sure that you hurt them before they hurt you, or to make sure that you hurt them more than they have hurt you in the past.

It's cowardly.

It's hurtful.

It's an act of pride.

It's the opposite of love.

Need proof? Here's what the Word of God has to say:

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self‑seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. "

-1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NIV (Emphasis mine)

Need more?

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

- Proverbs 18:21 NIV (Emphasis mine)

While writing this post, I did a little research to see what other verses I could find that spoke about the power of our words, and let me tell you...there are A LOT!!!

God spoke and created something out of nothing.

With a few words, Jesus brought the wind and waves to a screeching halt.

When He was on the cross, Jesus stated that He was giving up all that he had to save us from an eternity separated from Him when He spoke the words "It is finished."

When Jesus spoke to His disciples and to the masses, He chose His words carefully in order to promote life. He spoke of hope, redemption, love, forgiveness.

Even when He was confronting the Pharisees, He spoke to them in a way that gave them an opportunity to turn to Him. He spoke to them in a way that gave them the information that they needed to speak love to others.


How do you speak to those that you love when no one is looking? When everyone is looking?


How do you speak to those that you don't even know?


Is the way that you speak to others reflective of how you want to be remembered?

Speak kindly to others, even if they don't speak kindly to you. Your life depends on it.

"...Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil
and his lips from deceitful speech."
-1 Peter 3:10 NIV