The Power of Words

Throughout the past few weeks, I have been blessed to converse with many different people of influence as they’ve interviewed me concerning my story. This is new territory for me. This is not terribly comfortable territory for me as I am tender and sensitive to how I might be affecting the people I love who aren’t celebrating that I’m telling my story. 

For it is not just my story. It is their story, too. All of our stories are not just our stories, but are another’s story as well. Are we present to how we’re telling our stories?

My discoveries in college which led me to a different faith system than the one of my ancestors are not ones they share. They still hold this religion dear to their hearts. To share my life narrative is to betray the silence I have chosen for most of my adult life in order to maintain peace with those I love. 

And yet, Jesus has invited me to share my story. To share our story. And to keep sharing this story. To not share my story is to betray the one who formed me and blew his life-breath into me. So I am exercising this new muscle and every interview has capacity to bring flashbacks in my body of the exile I felt and experienced when I left the faith system my family cherishes to follow the Jesus I encountered in college. 

Telling my story is dying to cherishing people I love more than my Beloved. I believe this is a good thing that will deepen my love for God and others, but it is still a crucifixion. As I journey through this season of my story, I bring those I love with me. I want to be gentle, for I love them and they didn’t choose this journey. It was chosen for them. In Out of Zion, I deliberated over every word for words have the power to create or destroy; to build a bridge or release a bomb.

Death and life are in the power of the tongue,

and those who love it will eat its fruits. -Proverbs 18:21

THE POWER TO BLESS and the power to CURSE

I discovered that some who interviewed me did not share my sensitivity to words, for several words rolled off their tongues that would be spiritual arsenic to my loved ones. I, too, am guilty of living encultured in my subcultures and thoughtlessly speaking words into being which bruise and harm another. But, Jesus invites us to a new way of seeing others, a new way of being in the world with each other. 

Love cares more for others than for self. -1 Corinthians 13:5

Love doesn’t always agree, but love has ears to hear and eyes to see and a heart that cares.

After several interviews, I wrote to an upcoming program host, gently inquiring if she would consider not using one particularly inflaming word during our interview. I gave her background and how this word is like spiritual arsenic to some who might listen to her program. I asked for her feedback and was open to whatever she decided, but wanted to ask.

Her response shot an arrow through my heart. She was appalled and let my publisher know I was, “Out of line, I obviously don’t understand radio, they’re giving me free publicity, nobody has ever made such a request on words of her!” etc. Then she cancelled me. I thought we were on the same team, so the bomb of shame she launched at me completely blindsided me. It took me days to recover. 

What would it have cost her to befriend my request? What would it have cost her to refrain from the use of one possibly inflaming word? What would it have cost her to not agree with me, but enter into a dialogue with curiosity? What would it cost me? What would it cost you?