“But say in a word, and my servant shall be healed” (Luke 7:7b KJV).
“Say in a Word”
The enormous power of words is grossly underrated! I am fascinated by how some folks can arrange words in just the right combination for maximum effect. I heard a speaker once characterize transparency as “getting naked with your soul.” Hearing that caused me to reflect on the Paul Laurence Dunbar poem, “We Wear the Mask,” which connotes the opposite of transparency. Sidebar: Generally, we help people considerably more by being transparent, than by masking who we are. But in defense of Dunbar, his purpose was to expertly use words to unmask for the world what Black people were experiencing behind “the mask that grins and lies.” In Dunbar’s words, our reality was, “With torn and bleeding hearts we smile… We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries to thee from tortured souls arise.”
It is fascinating to me that in a poem entitled, “We Wear the Mask,” Dunbar exposes us and forces us to, well, to get naked with our souls! But my fascination with words goes much deeper than an interest in how they can be arranged in prose or poetry for effect. It extends to the life-altering force that words possess. Words can heal! Words can kill! Words can speak life or speak death (Proverbs 18:21). One word fitly spoken can change your disposition.
And Jesus is the Word of God!“He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called TheWordof God” (Rev. 19:13). By Him, the Word, all things were made (John 1:3, Ps. 33:6). “For He spoke and it was done” (Ps. 33:9). The centurion in Luke 7 seemed to have a clear understanding of this awesome power. He was accustomed to speaking and seeing things get done, as he explained, “I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it” (Luke 7:8b). Jesus marveled at the centurion’s faith and understanding of such power because he was a Gentile. And the people of God, the Jews, lacked such faith and understanding.
So, as people of God, it is time for us to access that power and learn to use the power of words. Speak peace instead of confusion; speak joy rather than depression; speak abundance, not lack; speak healing instead of sickness! Speak salvationinto the lives of your children! Say in a word! And what you say in faith is what you can expect to see!
Focus Quote: “A person’s words can be life-giving water; words of true wisdom are as refreshing as a bubbling brook” (Proverbs 18:4).
Reminders:
Please continue to join us at 5:14 p.m. each day as we pause to pray.
