Words Matter –

I love words, language, and communication like most people. But not all words build up. Unfortunately, words often cause discouragement, dismay, and even destruction. They can cause life-long scars.

I recalled an occasion 25 years ago. A worship service took place in Tondano, a city in the far north of Sulawesi. That Indonesian Island looks like a fishhook meant to catch an enormous fish. I understood nothing during the singing and communion service in the jam-packed auditorium seating 300 people. And yet, I understood it all! Some hymn tunes were familiar, and I knew the words instituting the bread and the wine. The young translator conveyed my English words into the Indonesian dialect. Words create community.

How do we know about things? A person’s specialty might include anything: baseball statistics, football memories, psychological observations, or botanical species in a desert. Nevertheless, it’s only through words that we can communicate with our fellow human beings.

The night before He went to the cross, our Lord Jesus Christ declared, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33. The Gospel’s words convey peace, joy amidst suffering, and love touching those in despair.

Peter Marshall’s prayer still stirs me. “May this day create within us a love for thee of stronger stuff than vague sentimentality, a love which seeks to know thy will and do it!” Such words create the paths of life. They make Christ’s resurrection a living reality.

Latin American Mission (Canada) works in eleven countries. We value our missionaries, short-term volunteers, and partnership agreements. Together, we speak tens of thousands of words each day. May our conversations always build up and not tear down. May our words be like a freshwater fountain in a dry and thirsty desert. May our speech always point others to the Lord Jesus Christ.