Words — Grace for Those Below

Jun 10

Jun 10 Words

In more than one situation recently, in order to move a decision along, someone has said “I think we’re getting too caught up in the words.” Or, “Let’s look at the big picture, the actual words don’t really matter.” Or, “The words are confusing, but I think people will understand what we meant.”

It’s likely not a surprise to anyone that I care about words. Words are my passion, my career, my lifeline, and my gift. Because words matter. Throughout the history of humanity, words have signaled the start of wars, the end of conflicts, the births of nations and philosophies and social movements.

Words link us to each other and lift us out of our selfishness.

“In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God” (John 1:1)

God used words to speak the universe into existence and then chose to be identified as the Word making its dwelling among us. The words we speak and the words we accept and the words we repeat matter deeply because they define who we are. Not only in other’s eyes, but in our own. We always become the words we speak and who we are is always reflected in the words we use. There is no real separation between who we are and what we say.

But we can be so careless with our words. We let our fears and our insecurities drive us and we use words to protect ourselves. Using them as weapons and fences to keep people away, to create insiders and outsiders. We use words to tear other people down because in that moment it makes us feel a little more powerful. A little more in control. We use words to construct safety nets around ourselves so that no one can hurt us or take anything away from us.

But when we use words to hedge and protect, to go on the offensive, to take a cheap shot at someone who hurt us, we take something that was meant to be a gift to bring us closer to God and to each other, and we deepen the fractures between us.

What if instead we used language that invites? Words that celebrate? Phrases that open us up to all the joy and terror of being vulnerable and honest?

What if we remembered that actions may speak louder than words, but nothing sticks to us harder or longer than the words people tell us about ourselves.

What kinds of communities could we create? Whose lives could be completely changed? How much joy could we discover in letting down our defenses and sharing freely?

I will be the first to admit that sometimes I speak hastily and regret things that I have said. I have run out of patience and let the words flow faster than my brain can correct them. And I just as often remain silent when I know I need to speak up. But, by God’s grace, I am trying to use this gift well and with courage. Because it matters.