Sticks and Stones part 4
Words can be used to hurt or to heal. To tear down or to bind up. But look at Genesis 15:1, the first time the word "word" is used in the King James Bible. Which makes it the law of first mention, right? Sets the tone for how it is to be used? "After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward." I love that. Fear not. Encouragement. A shield. Protection. So that's how we ought to use our words, right? Because words are important. Powerful. Death and life is in the power of the tongue. Sticks and stones may break our bones, and words CAN hurt us... but they can also protect us. Shield us. Edify us. Especially when we understand what the Word really is. Its love. Period. When God first spoke He said, "Let there be light." Because God IS light. He was inserting Himself into our darkness. God is Spirit. God is a consuming fire. God is light. And God is love. Those pictures of Him are pretty much interchangable. So "let there be light" is the same as "let there be love." When God inserted Himself into our darkness, He was inserting love into our situation. Love is the solution. The answer. Love is the Alpha and Omega, right? Beginning and end? First and last? And everything in between. Its all about love. Because its all love. Love isn't just what God does. Love is who God is. Love isn't just what WE do. Love is who we are! And what's inside comes out. We express ourselves through our actions... and through our words. The Word Jesus spoke was Spirit and life. Because the Word Jesus spoke was "fear not." The Word Jesus spoke was, "I love you." And faith comes from hearing. Hearing from the Word of God. We hear that Word of love deep in our hearts and then we can express that love by receiving and releasing it. By filling ourselves to overflowing with what we've already been filled with. And we fill ourselves--look at Isaiah 12:3, "Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation." WE are the wells of salvation. Living water flows out of our bellies (our hearts, our innermost being). And it comes with joy. I've never felt more joy in my life than when I loved someone. Then when I gave someone just exactly what they needed and saw the joy on their face. That's the Divine Order of things--if you want to feel joy, give it to someone else. If you want to feel forgiven, forgive someone else. If you want to feel love, love someone else. Love is giving. We experience what we've got by giving it away. By sharing it. And words are such a powerful way to do that. They say actions speak louder than words, and oftentimes maybe they do. Because you can say one thing and do another, and what you do is what is done. But don't discount the power of words. Once you say something, its really hard to take it back. Words have power. Words can hurt or help. Build or destroy. So keep your words soft and sweet, because you might just have to eat them.