By Your Words…

“For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks…I tell you, on the day of judgment you will have to give an account for every careless word you utter; for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

In the Second Testament of the Bible, the Gospel of Matthew attributes this sentiment to Jesus of Nazareth (Matthew 12: 34, 36-38). As a bibliophile, writer, and self-proclaimed wordsmith, I knew when I decided to make the leap into the blogosphere that I would take my theme from this passage of scripture. Why? The answer is quite simple. Because I believe that collective humanity has lost sight of the function of our words.

The evidence to support this theory is all around us. How often do we speak without thinking, say things we don’t mean, talk harshly to and about ourselves and other people, and make crude remarks under the guise of humor? If we really understood that our words reflect our innermost beliefs, wield naming power, and are authorized to shape our experiences, we would be much more selective about how and when we use them.

If we only knew that the words we hear permeate our subconscious minds and affect our self-image, world view, and expectations of life, we would be more discriminating about the conversations and “entertainment” to which we expose ourselves and our families. And if we really believed that we are held accountable for every word we utter, we’d probably have a lot less to say.

So in this blog, my little corner of the universe, my quest is to bring to our awareness some of the careless, destructive ways in which humanity misuses the precious gift of language as well as to celebrate the beautiful, inspiring ways that enlightened members of our global community apply it. My hope is that maybe–just maybe–my words will contribute to the collective shift in consciousness that is necessary if we are to change our world.

In Peace and Love,

Tawnicia