A Higher Calling by Dana Isaiah Thomas

Author:Dana Isaiah Thomas
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Zondervan
Published: 2018-09-22T00:00:00+00:00

17

Word Power

The words of the mouth are deep waters, but the fountain of wisdom is a rushing stream.

PROVERBS 18:4

When I was younger, one of my high school coaches often told me that I thought too highly of myself and that I wasn’t a good enough athlete. I had trained incredibly hard to be the best basketball player I could be, so to hear my coach tell me I wasn’t good enough was really difficult. Because of his negative words, I second-guessed my skill, my playing style, even my desire to play the game in the first place. I lost confidence in myself and became afraid to play full out. Those words cut like a knife, and it took years to shake them off.

I’m sure you remember a time when someone’s words hit you hard. Harmful words leave scars on our souls that don’t easily heal. The old saying “sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me” is garbage. Whether we are aware of it or not, our words have a major effect on those around us.

Proverbs 18:21 says, “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” I’m saddened to think about how many people struggle with depression, anxiety, eating disorders, or thoughts of suicide because of the thoughtless and malicious words of others. When we speak harm to anyone, we give them a taste of death. We have the power to speak life into the lives of others. With the words we say, we can heal wounds. And by speaking truth and comfort, we can save lives.

When we speak harm to anyone, we give them a taste of death.

I am grateful to my college coach, Coach Barsh, who understood the power of words. In contrast to my high school coach, Barsh spoke words of encouragement and empowerment to me on and off the court. His words helped me heal from the harsh things others had said. Still, I fight the impact of negative words every day. For years, I’ve saved letters from my parents and close family friends in an old manila envelope. At times when I’m full of self-doubt and depression, or when I’ve lost sight of who I am as a child of God, I turn to those words of encouragement. That envelope is one of my most valued possessions because of the power of life-giving words.

As an athlete and now as a model, I meet and work with numerous people. But since I’m a quieter person, I do not like to talk as much as I like to sit back and observe, and by doing so, I’ve noticed how hurtful words can tear a person down, and how positive words can empower them. You can immediately see the effect on their face. It’s reflected in their eyes. Shoulders sag when someone is hit with a negative word. But people stand up straighter, and their eyes brighten, when they’re given an empowering word.

Words are contagious.

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