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THE POWER OF WORDS

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Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Oct 17, 1900

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 26, No. 42.

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THE POWER OF WORDS.

By Mrs. M. C. Du Bois

“DID you ever well consider, As you journey on life’s way, Of the vast results impending On the things you do and say? Have you ever learned the magic Treasured in one little word? Fitly spoken, wisely chosen, How it into being stirred; And a soul almost desponding, New, fresh inspiration caught, Grasped anew life’s heavy burden, From one loving, cheering thought! Then don’t call these trifling matters, These small every-day affairs. Words will eat as doth a canker; Life at best is full of cares. All our actions, words, and manners With possibilities are rife; For in each a soul is hindered, Or advanced in higher life.”
How few there are who fully realize the power and influence of their own words! The Bible abounds with instruction on this important subject. In Matt. 12:36, 37 we are told that for every idle word spoken we must give an account; also, that by our words we shall be justified or condemned. This truth is enough to startle us into watchfulness. It is not something spoken by sinful man; these words fell from the lips of the Sinless One, the Son of God. Why do they have so little power over us? Are they really true?—Yes, every word of God is true; but we do not realize their truth or we would be more careful what we say.
The Bible mentions many different classes of words. I will present a few. First I note: “Words without knowledge,” “idle words,” “vain words,” “lying words,” “deceitful words,” “sharp words,” “untruthful words,” “condemning words;” and still there are more of this class.
Let us turn to a brighter list: Words of “love,” “merciful” words, words “spoken in due season,” words “fitly spoken,” “gracious” words, words of “truth and soberness,” “cheering” words, words of “reconciliation,” words of “patience,” words of “consolation,” and many like words.
Now, dear reader, it is a fact that some of these words pass our lips every day. From which class do we choose? I tremble when I get a glimpse, now and then, of the influence of my own words. I pray for the art of silence, except when moved to speak by the Holy Spirit.
Who has not felt the power of words? We are each susceptible, more or less, to the words of others, which either cheer or sadden us. In time of trial and temptation, a loving, encouraging word, how it helps us! On the other hand, a word of censure, how it hurts!
A word is apparently a little thing, a mere trifle; but often it is fraught with power that vibrates for good or ill through all eternity. We drop a word and pass on. From that word grows a lovely flower or a baneful weed. We forget the word, and would fail to recognize the fruit of our own lips, should we meet it in after years.
A good woman once laid her hand upon the head of a little orphan boy, with these words: “Danny, be a good boy; strive to be a good man. You can just as well grow up a noble, useful man as to be a nobody.” She shook his grimy little hand, and passed on.
Years after, during the War of the Rebellion, the husband of this lady was in a Southern hospital, where he met this same little boy, now a noted surgeon. The surgeon pressed the hand of his visitor as he said, “The words of your wife, under God, were the means of making me what I am to-day.” This is a real incident.
A soul is under strong temptation. Satan is throwing his fiery darts at him as he stands where two roads fork, one leading to life, the other to death. A word will decide his fate. Which word will fall upon his ear in this temptation, the loving word to turn his feet upon the highway of life, or the harsh, condemning word, which will start him down the road to eternal death? This, reader, is not an imaginary picture. I would to God it were.
There is another word that it is sometimes duty to speak,—the word of reproof,—but, O, how careful we should be to seek God until self is not foremost when we speak words of this character!
There is a dearth of kind words. There are plenty to speak words of condemnation; would there were more to speak words of cheer to earth’s sorrowing ones, and point them to Jesus.
We each have it in our power to do much good. There are those around us whose hearts ache for loving words to point them to Christ. Who will speak them? Neighbor can help neighbor. Wives can lighten the toils of the husband by sending him to his work with cheerful words and loving smiles in place of frowns and fault-finding. Husbands can leave sunshine in their homes by a parting word of appreciation. Parents can lead their children with firm and loving words. Old people can counsel the young by gentle words of warning. The young can brighten and cheer the pathway of the old by hopeful, pleasant words.
We are in the perils of the last days. Satan is using every means to ruin souls. He takes our words as weapons to destroy those we love. O, do we then not need to be very careful of our words? Let the prayer of the psalmist ever be ours, “Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.”
Study and believe what the Word of God says upon the power of words.
MRS. M. C. DU BOIS