As a child one of my favorite after school activities was watching a cartoon called He-man. One of the characters was Prince Adam. Whenever there was a situation that was challenging he took out his sword. Upon doing so, he said a few words. ….”I have the power.“ Then he changed into He-man and rescued someone.

You may be asking how is this illustration significant? Let me put it this way. Words are powerful! They have the ability to cause motion. Words, have the ability to instill emotions rousing masses to action. Once released, it is almost impossible to change their dynamic influence. Traveling at the speed of sound, they permeate the world, as they enter the minds of intended targets.

At first sight, their influence man seem imperceptible. Let us not be mistaken. They are at work, either being used as agents of good empowering others. Or, as tools of mass destruction decimating families, husbands, wives, children, coworkers, neighbors, congregations, schools, states, countries, and planets.

You may be wondering how can we counteract this? There are several steps we can take to make a difference. First, take responsibility for our own thoughts, words, and actions. This is a time of personal reflection. How have I used words? Have they built people up through engagement? Or have I torn others down? This is an important step. Until we acknowledge our roles things stay the same.

Second, take steps to right our wrongs. This will require us to admit how we have influenced others, and the consequences resulting. Next, ask what remediation strategies are necessary to heal the relationship?

Last, we must strive to life by being the example to others. It is teaching others what we hope they will become. An example of this is choosing a soft answer instead of harsh words. Or, choosing silence in the midst of another’s chaos. It is making the decision to treat everyone the way we want to be treated.

In conclusion, I just wanted to remind everyone that our words are powerful! And, what we say, or even fail to say does matter. The choice is yours.