Simple is Better – Words Matter - Simple Words of Faith

on March 1, 2024

Gratitude Day 873

Matthew 24:35 – The sky and the earth won’t last forever, but my words will.

The average woman says something like 8,000 to 10,000 words a day. In contrast, the average man says about 6,000 to 8,000 words a day. Yes, this is an average. Some people say A LOT more words than this. Others? Hoard them and keep them for a rainy day.

Sometimes, I am very intentional about the words I use. I want to be clear. Direct. Specific. Other times? The words come out as a jumble. I have a hard time finding exactly the right word that I want. When I’m flustered, it feels like I am searching for just the right word and it feels very far away.

Words matter. Think of the times that someone said something specific to you. Maybe it was just a sentence or two long. But those words had a very lasting impact on you. Hopefully, the words were encouraging. Clearly, negative words can be just as impactful. Unfortunately, not always positively.

Words matter. We can cheer one another up. Or we can tear another person down. I’m embarrassed to say that there have been times when my words were hurtful. These are the moments and times I wish I could take back.

Words matter. Once they leave our lips, we cannot get them back. We’ve both received and said words in the heat of the moment that we wished we had held onto. It hurts when we are the person who hears these words. I pray we retract damaging words as quickly as possible. As hurt as we may be, once spoken, it’s often difficult to reel the words back in.

Words matter. One letter can make all the difference. Think: diary versus dairy. Big difference and yet, just two letters are different.

Words matter. Maybe, this is why Jesus is seemingly very careful and intentional with his words. He tells his stories with as few words as possible; something I have not learned the art of yet, according to Hubby Rick. Each word carries great significance and meaning. Sometimes, the specific meaning of a word may not be as clear to us because the New Testament was written in Greek; not English. We can use aids to help us become clearer about Jesus’ intention behind a word, which can affect the meaning of what he says. Each word makes a difference. They all do heavy living. The words make the stories, the parables, the lessons Jesus taught.

When you speak today, may I encourage you? Make your words matter. Search for the right now. Remember how Jesus made sure his words conveyed the meaning he wanted. When words matter, we take the extra step. Because we never quite know how our words can make a difference in another person’s life.

I pray that our words will influence people in the right way. We never know who is listening.

Blessings –

Dianne

Most Holy God – may the words we share encourage one other. May we follow Jesus’ example and make sure of our wonderful vocabulary. Amen.

If you’d like to read more blogs about “word,” check out these other blogs:

The Word That Matters by Sharla Hallett

https://sharlahallett.com/the-word-that-matters/