There is tyranny in words. Words can be Philistine giants that slay us, or they can provide the solid foundation on which we build our lives. They can be maxims that crumble like ashes, or ropes on slippery places that keep us erect and steady.
We think too little about the power of words, and say casually, “talk is cheap.” We even sometimes sneer, “Words, words, nothing but words.” There is a Proverb that states it gives a different perspective,
“An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.” (Proverbs 12:25)
Mere words, we say, but is there such a thing as mere words? There is little, if anything, more potent for good or evil than words. In conversations we too often share juicy bits of gossip that may be destructive to a friend or someone we don’t even know. We say it so glibly, “sticks and stone may break my bones, but words can never harm me.” Not so! The wounds made upon the body by the stones we hurl will heal in time, but the heart broken by some malicious word may endure for a lifetime. There is an old Chinese proverb that has it, “The tongue like a sharp knife …kills without drawing blood.”
When we consider the meaning and power of words we should remember the admonition of James, if anyone appears to be religious but cannot control his tongue, he deceives himself and we may be sure that his religion is useless (James 1:26)
There is power in words, harmful power.