“Sticks and stones may break my bones but names/words can never hurt me” - Nursery Rhyme
Now think...think..think....
I remember screaming this back to kids who during recess would hurl mean words at me and to be honest, I think I might have been on the receiving end of this infamous statement as well :-). But the truth is that words do hurt and names do mark us and to think otherwise is a great danger. I believe wholeheartedly that a truer statement of the power of words came from a Journalism teacher I once had in college. He said:
“We are wordsmiths and as such, are responsible for the words we share”
Words have power.
The Bible further confirms this. Take a look at the infamous “Tongue = Life or Death” scripture:
Proverbs 18:21
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life]. (AMP)
Your words have much more power than you attribute to them: The power to build and tear down, the power to encourage or discourage, the power to love to hate, etc. The list goes on and on!
Can I share a story with you? Great! Here goes:
A few years ago, I received a call to put a band together for an international Christian artist who would be on tour in the Tri-State area. I was excited to take on the task not because it was my first time but because I am so passionate about music. I immediately called friends who are phenomenal musicians and asked them to come on board on yet another band I had to put together.
Drums? CHECK!.......Guitars? CHECK.......Bass? CHECK!........Keys? Check?!?! (Hmmmm)
I usually play keys for these bands but recently felt insecure in my gift (yes yes, it happens to the best of us). However, I took a bold step and shut down all insecurities, I thanked God for my gift and was also encouraged by a circle of phenomenal musicians who believed in my gift and would SPEAK LIFE into my life as a musician.
After months of preparation, I received a call from the artist’s manager. I still remember that I pulled the car into the church parking lot as I saw his name pop up on my phone’s screen and with excitement I picked up the call:
“Hey! God bless!”
“Hey Ruthy...”
“What’s going on?”
“Listen, I know you’ve been putting the band together but when the artist heard you were playing keys, he said ‘If she is playing, I’d rather sing alone with tracks’”
[Silence]
“Thanks Ruthy but if you’re playing, we have to cancel the band”
“.....ok, God bless”
I froze......pain in my chest....fingertips cold...speechless......
I walked out of the car and into the back door of the church. As I opened the door, my father stood at the bottom of the steps with his usual “¿Como estas mi linda?” I fell into his arms and sobbed uncontrollably. The wordsmith who once sat in a Journalism class, the little girl who would yell at recess “words can never hurt me” now stood as a woman, unable to form a thought because words had literally shattered her to pieces; they had spoken death over her life as a musician. Every insecurity came up, every doubt in my gift screamed louder than any word of encouragement could during that season of brokeness. A series of events before and after multiplied the hurt and like a night stand, my keyboards became places for books, jewelry and dust....nothing more, nothing less.
But God! Yes, But God!!
That season of brokeness sparked by the words of a manager came to an end when I surrendered the broken pieces of my heart to my Creator and He spoke words of love, kindness and confirmed that the gift He had given me was entrusted to the right person..Me! God then placed others that once again spoke life into me. I decided to push myself as a musician, learn more, do more. Wow! Words nearly sent me down a path of destruction BUT GOD!!
So how does this story end? It doesn’t. Instead it grows with me as I continue to understand that my words DO have power and that I am responsible to build up those around me. Even a word of rebuke spoken in love will speak life!
BE ENCOURAGED! Those words that were spoken over you to seemingly destroy are cancelled by the one who Created you! He knows you best and will surround you with His best.
Speak Life :-)
Ruthy Rodriguez
{Thank you Ruthy for being my guest blogger today and sharing this heart-felt message. Remember to always Speak Life!}
Photo Credit: With Love Photography
