Words matter. What you say, how you say it, where you say it and to whom you say it has consequences. The breach, vandalism and deaths at the US Capitol last week is proof.
“Words are singularly the most powerful force available to humanity. We can choose to use this force constructively with words of encouragement, or destructively using words of despair. Words have energy and power with the ability to help, to heal, to hinder, to hurt, to harm, to humiliate and to humble,” says author Yehuda Berg. In his book Love as a Way of Life, Gary Chapman prophetically says words can either be “seeds or bullets.” Sometimes, they can be both.
Sensitivity to words and their impact is more than a matter of political correctness. It is the recognition that words have power, sometimes well beyond their actual meaning in the dictionary. They can make people swoon, cry, reflect and rebel. Words are potent weapons that can embarrass, enlighten, encourage, enrage and entrance.
There is little doubt word discipline has declined. In the bygone era of letter-writing, people took care in their choice of words. In our era of instantaneous social media, words are inspired often by impulse.
While all of us are influenced by words, few of us take the time to choose our words carefully and consider their impact on those who hear them. The result can be misunderstanding, hard feelings or unintended responses.
Despite slander and libel laws, speaking freely without consideration of consequences has become common, frequently encouraged by flocks of followers on Facebook, Twitter and their darker-corner cousins like Parler. Hate speech is catnip that attracts clicks, which generate followers and, for some, ad revenue.
While all of us are influenced by words, few of us take the time to choose our words carefully and consider their impact on those who hear them. The result can be misunderstanding, hard feelings or unintended responses.
One of the biggest casualties of lax word choice has been the truth. Always elusive, the truth is hard enough to convey in words, especially when they are chosen hastily, sloppily or slyly. Misinformation is just a dark derivative of information. Calling misinformation true and information false often enough can undermine the truth. Repeating misinformation over and over can pervert perspective, make black appear as white and persuade some people to act on untruthful misdirection.
We have truth-in-advertising rules. We also First Amendment rights to free speech. Neither protects us from the potential effects of lazy or malign words or empowers us to utter falsehoods without consequence.
Words can be employed for cunning as well as comfort, as noted in Proverbs 15:4 – “Gentle words bring life and health; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.” Anyone can make a verbal misstep, say something insensitive or make a rude remark. Don’t equivocate, own it. Admit you misspoke or spoke without thinking. Apologize. Deal with the consequences of what you said.
Better yet, say what you mean clearly in the first place. If you have trouble speaking clearly, get help.
If there is a lesson from last week’s Capitol mayhem, let it be unity in acknowledging one simple fact – words matter, they have consequences and those who voice them must be accountable.
