Your Words Have Power

One of my posts on Instagram went viral a few weeks ago. I didn’t intend it to, but people kept sharing it, commenting on it, and posting about it on TikTok. A post I expected to get no more than 100 likes spread like wildfire.

I received so much love from my post, but where there was love, hate followed. Unbeknownst to me, that post put me in the middle of a drama in which I had no intention of involving myself, but in the age of the internet, that’s easier said than done. My words were being used against someone else and I watched as the post I originally created to uplift and encourage became something that others used to hurt.

Our words have power. I didn’t really understand that until I saw the impact of my own words. Every day, our words have the power to heal or destroy, be it on the phone, over a text message, rolling off our tongue, or even in a social media post published with good intentions, but used out of context by others.

Jesus was firm in his teachings about the tongue and the evils it can inflict. One word can set a forest ablaze (James 3:6). So let us strive to make sure our words build up and do not break, bless and do not curse, soothe and do not incite anxiety, praise and do not pounce.

Let’s aspire to use our words to build the Kingdom of Heaven and always point back to God. While they may seem trivial or unimportant, our words wield intense power and it’s our job to make sure we are stewarding them well.

Father, Please put a guard over my thoughts and my words. Help me to communicate clearly, lovingly, and graciously with everyone in the power of the Spirit, either online or in person, so that all my words and thoughts glorify you. Amen.

Throughout this Day: Ask God to help you to evaluate your words before you speak them or post them, so that they reflect his character, and especially his love and grace.