Sticks, stones, and yes Virginia, words can really hurt you!

It's a brand new day, brand new month, and the potential to see great things accomplished, therefore, welcome to another blog bogging experience with your faithful scribe, on this Tuesday, September 1, 2009. There is no doubt at all to anyone about the power of words. Words can build up, encourage, and motivate. They can also inflame passions, incite violence, and crush the spirit. They can bring a sense of peace, harmony, and well being or they can be used to express anger, frustration, and rage. You don't have to be around very long here on the planet to learn about the power of words. There's always a huge debate regarding the 'most' powerful words in our language as many attempt to compile a list. There are lists of the most powerful words in advertising, in motivating employees, and in turning around a business. There are also lists of the most powerful words within the normal interaction in communicating between people, just like you and I. One list compiled by the Psychology Department of Yale University listed these as what they found to be the top ten most powerful words: you, results, health, guarantee, discover, love, proven, safety, save, and new. I think we all would have expected the words you and love to be on the list but I will have to think about some of the others.

I do know the word save is perhaps the most powerful word needed within the human family at least as it is used in the context of God so loving the world that He gave His one and only Son and whoever believes in Him shall be saved and have everlasting life. (John 3:16) I'm almost certain this particular usage of the word was not considered in terms of why save was included on the list. However, this doesn't mean that you and I shouldn't have our own list of powerful words that we can use to help build up our life before God and the lives of others. My suggestion would be to seek out powerful words or concept words formed from The Scriptures because they contain the very mind of God and I know it's not possible to come in contact with anything more powerful than that! Words like the love that comes from God for His created human family. Faith and faithfulness. Blessed and blessings. Forgiveness and freedom. Truth that can be always counted on. Salvation and a Savior. Peace and providence. These came to my mind as I was writing this blog but there are many many more and seeking out our own list would be a great project for us all. Finding ways to use the powerful words from God's Book would be a great addition to the effectiveness of our communication!

Then we have those annoying phrases that we all pick up on. Here's a recent compilation of the 10 most irritating phrases: At the end of the day; fairly unique; I personally; at this moment in time; with all due respect; absolutely; It's a nightmare; shouldn't of; 24/7; and It's not rocket science. You will not be surprised at all to recognize many of these from my blogs if you have been reading them for any length of time. While I perhaps shouldn't of, I must say that I personally find using these types of descriptive phrases to be fairly unique at this moment in time and with all due respect I absolutely cannot agree that it's a nightmare in using them, whether used 24/7 or in trying, at the end of the day, to help folks understand that drawing a word picture is not rocket science. I think I covered them all in that run on sentence but I remember a fellow who was giving me counsel on helping me prepare for some interviews and how he told me he thought I could improve my pronunciation of the word: entrepreneur. I think I was aware of the proper way to say it but I told him I liked my colloquial sound better. So there you have it, you can lead a horse to water but you can't always make him take a bath, or something like that. Remember to use your words constructively in order to see them help in the building up of others! Have a great one and may God bless! Amen. .....More later.