By Kodwo BRUMPON
“The eyes do not carry the load but they know what the head can carry.” – African proverb
The most abundant, and readily available resources to everyone in this life are words. Not only do we have them within us, but they are also everywhere. They are intangible, infinitely renewable, and foundational to life itself, yet we consistently underestimate its value.
This attitude stems from the fact that we learn to use words before we come to realise its essence and how it creates and shapes life. It could also be that some of us never learn to appreciate its power, because we have never made the efforts to understand the role words play in life, and the power contained in them.
Words are indeed the foundation of life, imbued with divine authority and infinite creative potential, as seen in the Scriptures where God speaks creation into existence. In Genesis, we read of how God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
This underscores the fact that words are not just tools for communication but catalysts for creation. They shape realities, influence hearts, and build or destroy relationships. Moreover, throughout the ministry of Jesus Christ, He healed the sick, raised the dead and liberated the captives with His words.
Despite this profound truth about words, many of us treat them carelessly. We utter them anyhow without understanding that life as we know it, is the result of all the words that have been spoken by God and us.
The most intelligent amongst us know we use them as a conduit of understanding which empower us to connect deeply to one another. For the lovers amongst us, we use words as our best conduit for intimacy.
They are the wellspring from which every actionable impulse toward sympathy and solidarity arises. It is only a few who have appreciated words as instruments of change and used them as such, fighting for the dignity of our fellow humans.
When we speak, we echo the creative act of God. Every word carries a fragment of divine power, either to build up or to destroy. Jesus Christ underscored this in Scripture when He mentioned that “If anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.” His words teach us that faith-filled words can remove the greatest obstacles in our lives. That is why it is sad that many of us use words without purpose.
Yes, it is true that words are the most abundant resource available to humanity. Sadly, because many of us misunderstand how powerful a resource they are, we have not valued them. As a matter of fact, not many of us do not even regard words as a resource because we were not taught that in school. The good news is that the best knowledge is not necessarily shared in the classrooms.
Words fall into that category. What we need to do is to understand and appreciate the power in them, and we would realise how important they are to life and how wonderful a resource they are. They are the bridge between the divine and the human, between the seen and the unseen. Do you realise that everything you do stems from the words you tell yourself?
Going back to Scriptures, Jesus Christ revealed to the world that “the words He has spoken to us, are full of the Spirit and life.” This teaches us that words are not only temporal but eternal, impacting both earthly life and spiritual destiny.
It is the reason why we are told that even idle words will be judged, highlighting their weight and significance. The philosopher highlighted this where he warned, “Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God.” Moreover, if we remember that it was the deceitful words of the evil one that led to our first parents sinning against God.
All in all, this demonstrates how words can lead to our destruction. Thus, we should understand that careless words, whether in the form of gossip, exaggeration, or empty promises diminishes the holiness of language.
It is the reason we are advised to “Let our ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and our ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.” Words uttered without a desire to follow through with it, are not just signs of insincere commitments, but they erode trust and tarnish the creative power of the most important resource that God has bestowed upon us.
Let us therefore start respecting words, and the divinity in them. Let us begin with understanding their power to shape our existence and choosing to wield them with care, reverence, and purpose. Let us reclaim the sanctity of language and, in doing so, reclaim the beauty and creativity of life itself. God help us all…
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Kodwo Brumpon is an executive coach at Polygon Oval, a forward-thinking Pan African management consultancy and social impact firm driven by data analytics, with a focus on understanding the extraordinary potential and needs of organisations and businesses to help them cultivate synergies, that catapults into their strategic growth, and certifies their sustainability.
Comments, suggestions, and requests for talks and training should be sent to him at [email protected]
