The Power of Words
It’s a new year and since it’s a milestone of sorts, we often set goals and make promises or resolutions as we begin the new year. Talk is cheap when it comes to promises. I believe that I should be careful and thoughtful about the goals I set or the promises I make. I should also be careful of the words I speak to others or about others.
I’m pretty sure that I’m not the only one who takes words for granted at times. It’s easy to just speak whatever is on my mind without giving thought to the weight of my words. I used to say that a person who speaks before thinking has a broken-down “editing machine”. There are others who you don’t have to wonder what they are thinking, because they will just come right out and say it. I think it’s wise to weigh my words. I think it is wise to hold an opinion until I’m ask for it. I recently heard Dave Ramsey say that “opinions are like arm pits – we all have them, and they often stink”. As I write these words and see them on my computer, I realize that for those who read them, it could have a positive impact.
As I read the Proverbs of King Solomon this morning, I was reminded of the power of words. Check this out….
18 Telling lies about others
is as harmful as hitting them with an ax,
wounding them with a sword,
or shooting them with a sharp arrow. (Proverbs 25:18 NLT)
Jon Gordon, author of The Energy Bus, challenged his readers to think of one word that they will ponder, process and weave into their life for the following year. It can’t be two or three words – just one word. Having a one-word plan for the new year can bring incredible clarity to my purpose and my goals. I’ve been wrestling with this for a few days and I’ve finally nailed down my word. My word is SERVE. I recently heard a leader say that he’s quit talking about “servant leadership” because there is no other kind of leadership. Leadership that is self-serving is NOT leadership.
I work as a local REALTOR and Real Estate Broker. I see my industry as a service industry. If I can help people get the house they want or get the proceeds they want from the sale of their home. If I can help people move up or down size, I’m serving them. I want to take the utmost care of all my clients and customers. I’m looking to SERVE others in a more focused and deliberate way in 2019. My words have authority and power over me. I am going to weigh them carefully and thoughtfully.
Pressing On!
Dwayne