Powerful Words
An ancient proverb says: “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”
This little muscle in our mouth carries with it an amazing power to be constructive and life giving, releasing blessing to those around us. It also has the potential of being destructive and careless, sucking the life out of people (like watching the evening news...), in effect releasing curses to those with whom we speak. What a contrast – and all from the same little muscle.
Let me illustrate. A few years ago I was facilitating a training with a group of HR managers and trainers from a young Asian company with over 5 billion RMB in annual sales, and a truck load of employees. They carried a huge responsibility for training current and incoming managers.
We worked with them as though they themselves were being trained, so that they would experience the activities and training we would put their managers through. One of the activities they experienced was one we call the “High Y”. Two participants start on individual platforms, 5 m (15') in the air. They start by individually walking on a cable toward a common platform, and then proceed together from that platform as a unit of two, on a longer cable with vines hanging in midair with which to support themselves. Hence the term “High Y”. The second section can not be completed as an individual, but requires two people to reach the 'life-supporting' vines.
As we were debriefing this activity with the HR managers, one said: “…when my partner reached the middle platform, I could hear the cheers and encouragement to him. At that point I was still struggling, alone, on my first cable. The cheers he received flamed life into my heart that I too could finish. It gave me hope!” One might say that he who has the most hope has the most influence!
This is the power of testimony! The power of hearing glory stories of others who have gone before.
She went on to say that as she felt the encouragement from the words she was hearing, she began to envision her (real life) appreciation for her partner. She realized how valuable he was in their work together at the office, and how little she actually expressed this appreciation to him.
If these initial cheers and words of encouragement she overheard of his success could be of such encouragement to her – then “…I have to begin to express my appreciation to you directly, so you also can receive this powerful encouragement…” she said directly to her partner. She continued a few minutes, simply expressing (publically) to him, the gratitude she felt for their partnership at work.
I later asked her partner how he felt about receiving this publically. He said he knew they had a good working relationship, but felt deeply honored that she had chosen to express it publically in this manner.
She had personally experienced the “power of testimony”. The power and effect of good and encouraging stories being passed on. What a contrast to a world that seems often to be filled with careless words, sarcastic humor, or harshly critical and judgmental admonition.
If it is true that the power of life and death are in the tongue, then where is my source of words? Where is my wellspring of life giving words? It is said that “the mouth speaks out the things that fill our hearts.” Where then as a leader, spouse, parent, teacher, etc., will I draw from to have words that produce life in others? Is the wellspring of my heart abundantly full, daily overflowing to others with encouragement and blessing? Are you and I a daily source of life giving testimony to those around us? Truth is, we can only give away what we own!