Words Create Worlds

“Words create worlds.”
-Abraham Joshua Heschel

I remember being a child and saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”  It seemed so wise at the time. A small saying that could take away the sting of hurtful words. But as I have grown older, I have realized that words are more powerful than I ever could have thought. In addition, I don’t think the solution to hurtful words can be to cheapen or weaken them.  The solution to hurtful words will always be healing words.  As Heschel points out, Words are incredibly powerful; they can create worlds. As we speak and interact with people and places, we are shaping the world and the experience that others have with it.

Our Epistle reading for Sunday compares the tongue to the rudder of a ship. It seems so small, but it is powerful.  Language can take us to beautiful places full of grace and truth, but they can also take us to barren and desperate places of anger and hate. As we move through our weeks, I hope that we are all aware of the worlds we are creating with our words.

Grace and Peace,

Matt+

Or look at ships: though they are so large that it takes strong winds to drive them, yet they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits.

-James 3:4-5a