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Power of the Word
By Frank Cushman
Brothers, words are an important part of our daily lives,
so much so, that we have a tendency to forget the good or
harm they may do to those around us, as well as to ourselves.
Kind words beget kindness. Harsh words wound
deeply, bring unto ourselves and others pain and heartache.
Often the speaker of harsh words suffers more because he or
she realizes, too late, the bitter truth of an old saying: "Harsh
words you can't recall, better not to say such words at all."
There is a multitude of truth in this little rhyme.
Words have started wars large and small. From a person
to person conflict to world wide conflicts. All to the sorrow
of those involved.
From the time we could understand the first words spoken
to us until we draw that last breath, words spoken and
written cast their shadow over our every action.
Jesus spoke kindly when He admonished us "to love
one another as I have loved you."
There is no stronger an expression through words than
to turn to your loved ones and say, "I iove you." Three little
words, eight letters from out of die alphabet with the power
to set many a wrong aright.
The man who spoke before President Lincoln, at
Gettysburg Battlefield, talked for nearly two hours. Few
people know what he talked about Lincoln used 269 words.
Most of us have at least read his speech. Some of us memorized:
"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought
forth on this continent a new nation...and that government of
the people, by she people, and for she people shall not perish
from the eanh." These are words that apply today as strongly
as they did when uttered by the Great Emancipator.
Each of us has had the misfortune of having spoken
words that we wished, with all our heart we had never spoken.
Do not earn' these words around in your "guilt bag."
Rather cast them out and firinly resolve to never utter them
again. A daunting task, it can be done.
We can master words for the good of the world in their
right and proper marching order. What words have to say is
our responsibility. Therefore, let us resolve that any words
spoken or written by us will make for a better world for their
having been spoken or written.
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