In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. – John 1:1
Twenty-six letters . . . who would have thought that twenty-six letters could be as powerful as they are?
With twenty-six letters wars have been started, treaties have been made, great cures have been passed on to the next generation, history has been recorded, identities are given, order is made possible, and the ability to connect with another human being is achieved.
With just twenty-six letters expressed with the lips and tongue, lifelong friendships were bonded, women have fallen in love with men, children have learned to know their parents while still in the womb, and animals have learned to obey their masters.
Words. Words can bring fire and ice to the human heart. Words can create bridges to better days or tear them down. With the right spoken word at the right time in the right way, a man can win the approval of a country, of the world . . . or lose it just as quickly.
Perhaps there is nothing more powerful in our world than words. Either masterfully manipulated on paper, eloquently expressed through the mouth, or posted up in vibrant colors on a banner for all to see, words are the force pulling on the strings of control.
Words strung together to form a sentence, a paragraph, a book, or a speech can bring a human body to action for good or ill. What on this earth starts or ends without the use of words? From the moment the baby is born, the doctor speaks words to greet his or her arrival; and when that same child does what it will to form a life and that life comes to a close, words are there at the end as those left behind eulogize that person’s legacy. Either to explain the rules of the game or to announce the winner, words run all that we do.
Perhaps this is why Jesus is the Word of Life. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). The Word is the final word, the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last. With the Word the world was spoken into being; the deaf are healed to hear, and the sinner is saved from the sting of death.
Therefore may we be careful with our words. For they are one of the most powerful tools at our disposal, bringing life or death to those in our lives. What we say matters, and has eternal significance. Jesus lovingly warned us:
For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:34-37)
Out of the overflow of our hearts, the mouth will speak, thus we must have a heart connected with the true Word all the time. The One Word is the Only Word that trumps every other word. Although humans have come to wield much power through words, Jesus remains the final Word, The Word of All, The Word of Life!