Friday, June 27, 2014

The Power of Words


Last week I spent a couple of hours in the ER with my in-laws.  The Old Man had done something to his leg while in a field the week prior and it ended up swollen.  They originally had just gone in for an MRI as their primary doctor requested, but they needed an ER doctor to review it and make sure it wasn't a clot.

At which point, Man asks me to join them and make sure they understand what the doctor is saying.
When I get there they ask the doctor to come back and repeat what he said to my in-laws.  He came in and reexplained everything to me.  And then frowned as I turned to them and began reexplaining everything in English.

Yes.  I speak the same language as you, Doc.  But the difference is, I know how to translate your English into an English that my in-laws will understand fully.

(Quick tangent: Thanks for the concern I already feel emanating out of you!  Old Man is doing okay.  It was a hematoma not a clot, so he went home to let it heal naturally.  But please pray for healing as it's not quite gone yet.)


Words have astonishing power.  Our words do not stand still in the air then fall to ground powerless.  Just as God spoke and things were created, our voices have a profound influence on everything around us, especially the people.

But more often than not, we plug our ears, sing "stick and stones," and forget this reality.



My mom always told my sister and I that she clothed us in our dear friend's hand-me-downs.  A friend who had a son.

"When I dressed you like a girl, all you would hear was how pretty you were."  Dressed in boys' clothes, we were instead encouraged to be strong and smart--two future POTUS (sidenote: how do you pluralize that?  POTUSes?  POTI? PsOTUS?) in training.

"And what do you think I wanted you to hear?"

The answer is obvious.  Which is why I find it hard to respond when I hear that the Otter is so pretty.  Of course, there is the instinctive and natural "thank you."  Thank you for noticing that she has been wonderfully and fearfully made. 

I don't mind that my girl is pretty.  I mind, however, if that's all she thinks she is.

Granted, she's only really capable of rolling back and forth at this point (though, Lord help us she's trying to get on her knees), but this is bigger than today and much bigger than one child.

We must be careful with our words that we don't, inadvertently or not, limit our children's ability to dream.

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits. Proverbs 18:21

June 23 - Peek-a-boo
06.23 - Peek-a-boo

No comments:

Post a Comment