Use Your Words- The Power Words from the Word Have in Our Lives

Today's scripture might have just as well walked out of one of my books on discourse analysis by James Paul Gee. His theories of language are very applicable here. He would suggest that languages do not just involve "informing" or saying. Instead, he argues that language consists of ways saying-being-doing in the world.

One example of words that are used for being (identity) is the markers of identity in our speech. For instance, if I talk about hornworms with the identity of a non-expert, I would say "Hornworms sure vary a lot in how well they grow." The "sure" along with other informal phrases show my identity as a non-expert. Compare this to my hornworm expert friend who would remark, "Hornworm growth exhibits a significant amount of variation." We are constantly telling others who we are by the language we use. One says, I don't know that much about hornworms. Another language says, I'm an expert in the field and want to be perceived as professional. (examples from Gee, 2011, 8).

Using words in terms of doing (action) is another argument Gee makes. One clear example of this would be proposing, calling a strike, getting married. In these instances, the umpire's call of "strike" makes (does) the strike. Without it, it wouldn't be a strike. "I now pronounce you husband and wife" creates the marriage. It wouldn't be such without the declaration of a pastor (or at least the words on a paper at city hall). So we also "do" things with language.

While Gee has proclaimed this, these ways with words have existed forever, and I see them in the scripture this afternoon.

Use Your Words: To Be Faithful & Do What the Lord Commands

¹ My son, do not forget my teaching,
but keep my commands in your heart,

² for they will prolong your life many years
and bring you prosperity.

³ Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.

⁴ Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man. (Proverbs 3:1-4)

³ When I was a boy in my father's house,
still tender, and an only child of my mother,

⁴ he taught me and said,
"Lay hold of my words with all your heart;
keep my commands and you will live. (Proverbs 4:3-4)

²⁰ My son, pay attention to what I say;
listen closely to my words.

²¹ Do not let them out of your sight,
keep them within your heart;

²² for they are life to those who find them
and health to a man's whole body. (Proverbs 4:20-22)

Being & Doing

These three scriptures from Proverbs show what the writer knows that words can do for the individual. The author mentions the power in "holding" the words. The power to remember and what that will do for the individual. The individual who has the words of the Lord will keep them in their heart and will find life. We may read this as [a Godly] life or one that the Lord would approve of. Then, this "life" is connected to identity. Keeping the Lord's word will mark the individual's life, impacting their identity. Proverbs 3 mentions that the individual with the Lord's word will also have a "good name," which is very closely linked to identity. Our reputations are the other-imposed identities that others assign to us. The words that we take into our heart have a profound impact on who we are.

And it doesn't stop there. It is not only being but doing. We do things with the Lord's words. We "hold" them, we "write" them on our hearts, we "keep them in our sight," and we "remember them." Doing all of this with the words allows us to do other things as Godly people. If we don't do anything with the words, they will sit there in the Bible without impacting our identities and also without an influence on what we do every day. The question comes to mind, "If a tree falls in a forest and no one is there to see it, did it really happen?" Unfortunately, today we could ask about many homes, "If a Bible sits on the shelf and no one goes there to read it, does it ever have an impact?" We can only do things outside in the world with the power of God's word when we have the power of God's word in our minds and on our hearts... doing something with the written word. A daily scripture reading, a Bible study, however you would do it... do it... so that you can be it.

Use Your Words- To Say Comforting Words to Others

¹Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
To the church of God in Corinth, together with all the saints throughout Achaia:

²Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

³Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,⁴who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. (1 Cor. 1:1-4)

Then, there are other more traditional practices with words pictured in the Bible. This example is interesting, because we can see the combination again of being-doing-saying, which are not found separately. Sometimes it saddens me that the church has lost the habit of writing letters to other sister churches. You can see a beautiful portrayal of how the church was being-doing-saying through this letter.

Who was Paul being in this letter?

His identity is that of a brother in Christ bringing the word of the Holy Spirit.

What was Paul doing in this letter?

He is bringing comfort. Notice that by saying "grace and peace" and "comfort", he hopes to actually do "grace and peace and comfort-giving" so that the church in Corinth will feel feel these feelings.

What is Paul saying?

He is informing (reminding) the church of the comfort that comes from God and the grace and peace that he wishes for them. Later on, he clarifies certain topics of importance to the church.

In a similar way, we say things to our brothers and sisters. And our 'saying' matters. As Christians, we seek to enact a Christian identity (be) as we enact the Lord's commands (do) and proclaim Christian values (say). But, it all starts with the Word. If the Bible is left on that shelf, how can we do, say and be Christians with the words that we use. We need the Word... to be, do and say things as Christians.