Helping or Hurting? Understanding the Power of Your Words

The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 was one of the largest disasters in American history. Popular accounts from the time report that Catherine O’Leary’s cow kicked over a lantern in a barn. The small flame erupted into an inferno that destroyed miles of homes and burned Chicago’s business district to the ground.

So much destruction from a single spark.

That’s why the book of Proverbs urge us to be careful with our words. “Death and Life are in the power of the tongue” it says (18:21). Our words can turn harmony into chaos, ruin someone’s reputation, or wound a child’s spirit. But they also give life. They can put an arm around someone in need or hoist them to our shoulders when they succeed.

I’m sure you remember someone speaking words to you that really hurt, that made you feel down about yourself, about God, and about the world around you. But you also remember amazing words that have stuck with you for years and gotten you through a lot of hard days.

Words are never empty. For bad, or for good, words have power. Our only question to answer is: How will we use them?

On Focus on the Family with Jim Daly, we’re airing a recorded message from Dave and Ashley Willis to our staff, speaking about how the power of our words shapes the way we speak to people.

Just as God spoke the world into existence, so we can speak words of life to the people we love. Listen to their full talk on your local radio station, online, on Apple Podcasts, or on our free phone app.

Dave’s book The Seven Laws of Love: Essential Principles for Building Stronger Relationships is available for a gift of any amount, money that goes right back into ministry, providing hope and help to families just like yours.

And when you help Focus on the Family with a gift, your donation will be doubled for twice the impact in helping others through this ministry. Our thanks to generous donors who’ve made that possible. Click here for more information or call 1-800-A-FAMILY (232-6459).