Uplifting Words

What is a word? When spoken, it’s a sound shaped by our vocal cords, tongue, teeth, and lips. But most importantly, it’s a sound with meaning. Babies can make sounds without meaning; these babbles are just noise, sometimes pleasant and other times unpleasant.

When written, a word is a cluster of specially configured lines scratched on a page or screen. This, too, must be embedded with meaning in order to attain the status of a “word.”

Words — symbols laced with meaning — are instruments of human communication and prayer. Although the meaning itself can’t be seen, held, manipulated, or otherwise possessed, its power is strong enough to pierce the Heavens, build or destroy communities, create or dissolve partnerships, and hurt or heal.

But one of the most overlooked power of words lies in their impact on our own emotional state.