Power of Our Word

Word is more powerful than the sword. Humans are led by words. Words mean communication, dialogue, sharing, and give-and-take. It is a very dynamic, living, creative and transforming reality. It appears that even animals, some birds, worms, fish and even the very tiny creatures communicate through their own ways.

For example, drop a spoonful of honey or a piece of cake on the floor. Within a short time, many worms come around. They even come together and carry a piece of it to their home. These creatures do it the same way all through, and we do not observe any progress in their routine work.

Dogs bark and crows crow, but we do not observe any change or progress in their noise. Human beings make change and progress. We see it throughout the centuries. There have been fantastic moments or events in their struggle for progress and development. We see a lengthy process for preserving words and languages. The type of growth differed from place to place, like China, Africa, the British kingdoms, and in remote islands. The growth varied across countries depending on local needs, climate, etc. There was no uniform way of expression as far as words were concerned.

Some countries and regions made rapid progress, such as the British Isles and China. These became dominant and dominating. Thoughts began to take shape. That was the beginning of words and gradually language. Word was the beginning. Even the Bible says, ‘in the beginning was the word’ that began to take shape. That was the history of creation. Word began to form language. Language was the carrier of culture, love, progress, hate, etc.

In all these, we see the word and its dynamic growth, however slow it might be. Just look at the growth of the English language, as manifested in powerful words such as: abolish, environment, allegation, alternative, circumstance, circulation, zombie, enemy, enjoyment, hysteria, performance, significance, threaten, surrender, etc. These words are so rich and significant, action-oriented, and formed over many years, even decades. All these words have their history as we read in the detailed Oxford Dictionary.

Further, words are carriers of culture. The meaning of zombie, hysteria, enemy, surrender, etc. gives ample proof. After the Bible, the most read material was the hateful letters and speeches of Hitler. Here we see the negative side of the power of the word. The words of Jesus and Hitler contradict each other. One wanted to give life and the other to kill life. Buddha and Gandhi spoke words of peace, while Mussolini and Stalin uttered words of terror.

British army men said, “We won the war not by bullets, but by the power of the words of Winston Churchill.” Poet Kunjunni of Kerala said, “The word is heavier than the earth, and more powerful than the sword.” The world is ruled by words. Words, good or bad, depend upon the user. Uranium creates bomb, it also creates radiation for the healing of cancer.

When Krishna advises Arjun, his every word carries wisdom, strength, direction and power. It was life for Arjun. He followed it word by word, and the success was his. No one could challenge Arjun.  Such power was infused in the mighty words of Lord Krishna. When man got angry, instead of picking up a stone, he took word, and that was the beginning of culture (Sigmund Freud).

Coming to Jesus, his whole teaching was the living word. “If you make my word your home, you will be my disciples. You will learn the truth, and truth will make you free. I am the way, the truth and the life, I am with you always. I will give you whatever you ask me. Up to now, you have not asked for anything”. What a power Jesus infuses. Could there be any better expression than that! Now, coming to us, what is most important is our word. We must be men and women of one word, and no duplicate words.

The word is that we are. Word is our worth. That is the most precious depth that we are. There is no game, no opportunism. It is constant you. It is similar for me. When we are deeply honest with ourselves and others, as Gandhi said, there is only one word: truth. He used to say Truth is God. He never faltered. He never craved for power. Even the bullet could not change his word. That only proved his worth, his word.

The same was the life of Jesus. In Him, the Word is powerful, living, and transformative. It creates, reveals, judges, and saves. He proclaimed the word and taught the people the way of God, way of salvation. To engage with the Word is to encounter God Himself and to be drawn into a deeper relationship with him. He laid his life and proved it. The cross and death on it were the highest proof of his word. God glorified him and made him the most glorious Son.

We must be constantly searching for the true word. It is a challenge. I/you alone can face it, accept it and live by it. Here is our life-task. Here is our life-call. Here is our life-orientation. I/you have to face it to be authentic. That makes us magnetic.

(jpopnnan@gmail.com)

Blurb

Gandhi said there is only one word: truth. He used to say Truth is God. He never faltered, but stuck to the truth. That was the success of his life.