The Power of Words
I know that you have heard the catchy little phrase, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” I wish that were true. Honestly, it should be more like, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can do a whole lot more damage.”
Words are powerful. They bring us joy, leave us confused, motivate us, tear us down. The things that come out of our mouth, the words we speak, hold tremendous value. Most conversations aren’t neutral. We’re either honoring or dishonoring other people. With one simple compliment, a person’s day can be turned around. And with one putdown, a person’s day or week can be ruined.
Everyone desires to be loved, accepted, and approved of. It is a battle that we all fight. Whether we mean to or not, many times, we find the answer to those three categories through the conversations that we have. Sadly, society and the world around us can leave us feeling everything but loved, accepted, and approved of.
Instead of using our words for evil or just having neutral conversations, what if we made a conscious effort to make an incredible impact with our words? What if we saw the bigger picture and realized the difference a little bit of encouragement could make in someone’s life? I can’t help but wonder what our world would look like if we were more intentional in encouraging others.
About five years ago, when I began to realize the power of my words, I set a goal for myself. I looked for a way that I could encourage at least one person a day. It was amazing. I don’t know if there is scientific evidence for this, but every single time, I saw immediate, positive results. Not once, after encouraging someone, did they turn around and try to fight me. After doing this for a little while, it became a part of my life that I thoroughly enjoyed. Not only was it making a difference in the lives of the people I was encouraging, but it was impacting my life, as well. I began to see people in a new light and perspective.
Who can you encourage today? Whoever just popped in your head, send them a text, give them a call, stop by and see them with the purpose of simply encouraging them. You have no idea the kind of blessing it could be in their life.
What do you have to lose? I mean words are free, right? :)
