Words, Words, Words!
Yesterday an email led me to watch this video about a diver swimming in a sea teeming with tons and tons of plastic trash, polluting the waters and choking and destroying aquatic life in it. (There are other videos showing thick blankets of trash covering the surface of the water.) One cannot imagine the amount of non-biodegradable waste that litter the ocean thrown by unthinking people, and how much more of such rubbish will be carelessly thrown by them into a beautiful creation of God and an irreplaceable source of life and living.
Words cannot express the deleterious effects brought about by such actions, knowingly or unknowingly, on all of us by the culprits, which may also include some of us.
Speaking of words, only human beings have the capacity to express their thoughts in words. Lots and lots of words have been written and spoken through the centuries. Lots and lots more will be written and spoken until the end of time.
Much of them can be compared to plastic trash polluting the sea and choking sea life. Words can choke and damage relationships, and can wound and "kill" others. Words that are said in anger and hate can leave hurts unforgotten even after the offending deed has long been forgiven.
Detraction, gossip and false accusations willfully spread to further a selfish agenda can do irreparable damage to reputations, a serious and grave offense that one would not really want to be accountable for.
On the other hand, some words can express beauty and lofty thoughts and be a source of joy, encouragement and edification to others.
Words are very powerful. They can either build or destroy, uplift or bring down. They can either divide or unite. They can either inflict pain or assuage it. They can either heal or allow wounds to fester.
Thousands of years ago, the Eternal Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.
"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:14
He came to tell the truth. He is Truth. He came to show us love. He is Love. He came to save. He is the Savior.
The Word, the Eternal Word, is Jesus Himself.
Words attributed to a wise man (identified by sources as Lao Tse, or Ralph Waldo Emerson, or Frank Outlaw, etc.) give an equally wise warning:
“Watch your thoughts, they become words; watch your words, they become actions; watch your actions, they become habits; watch your habits, they become character; watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.”
Our words tell people who we are. If the words we speak or write conform to the Word, then we are blest, truly blest.#
"I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35
"Be not a witness against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips." Proverbs 24:28
"Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator." Colossians 3:9-10
