Short story: The power of words
By emptychair
@innertalks (23743)
Australia
June 20, 2023 11:23pm CST
Rabbi Herlisk Breskenski, was always very careful with his choice of the words that he used.
He would quote the Bible, from the book of Proverbs, which said:
Chapter 18, verse 21:
"The tongue has the power of life, and death."
Here is a lecture that he gave recently about the power of our words:
"God created the World through his words, and we can create our own life with our words too, as well as influence the lives of other people too."
"Once spoken, words can either uplift, or pull someone down."
"Damage done, can be very hard to undo too."
"We should never hurt someone intentionally with our words, and also we should try to not hurt, deceive, or mislead, anyone either, with our speech."
"To do this, it is better not to speak negatively about someone, or put them down in any way, at all. You should not cause anyone to be ill at ease, by anything that you say to them, or about them, even to someone else."
"We can send out of ourselves either positive, or negative energy, with our speech."
"Always speak from love, and your words will be lovingly guided in a positive way too."
"You can control the words that you speak out, but once out, they are out."
"They can not then be controlled at all, so be careful about the words coming out from your mouth, and try to ensure that your heart is positively behind them, not your other negative emotions."
"Do not allow yourself to be put into a situation where you wished that you hadn't said what you said."
"Bad words affect the issuer of the words, and any hearer of the words too, not just the person that they are directed towards."
"Bad words carry a negative energy that anyone hearing them will pick up, and this will tend to make them more negative themselves too, if they are unaware of our subtly these words can get into their psyche, and influence them negatively so."
"When we speak it should not just be a mental, or mind activity for us."
"We should always power our words from love, and say nothing without love behind our words. We should never speak idly, without purpose."
"We should only use words that we know that God would be happy with us using, and so then they will carry his divine power within them too."
"We are either speaking from love, or from judgement."
Speak from love, never from judgement.
"Give someone a hands up in their life by your speech, and never give them a hands down."
Photo Credit: The photo used in this article was sourced from the free media site, pixabay.com
5 people like this
5 responses
@Shiva49 (28394)
• Singapore
21 Jun 23
It is not easy to forget hurtful words directed at us.
I recall a few who not only were out to hurt others with their words but also made sure they did so!
And some motormouths who liked to hear their own voice!
We should make it a practice not to hurt others.
Soothing words can make a world of difference and they go around to spread peace and harmony.
4 people like this
@innertalks (23743)
• Australia
22 Jun 23
Yes, hurtful words dig deep, and can become embedded in us for a long time.
When my Aunty called me sneaky once to my mother, (when I was a kid) I never had any time for her after that.
She was a school teacher, so maybe she thought she "knew" what was going on, when, as not a member of our immediate family, she really had no idea.
But, when my Grandpa purred soothing words over me, (the poor lad, he said. It is not his fault.) and said, to my father, I will give you money to pay for his medicine, which my Dad could not afford, I have remembered his kind act forever too.
@Shiva49 (28394)
• Singapore
22 Jun 23
@innertalks I cannot forget kind words and acts and take them as a blessing and worth emulating.
And the hurts from uncharitable words and actions refuse to be erased from memory however much I try.
One can forgive but tough to forget. They even replay in my mind out of the blue.
1 person likes this
@Shiva49 (28394)
• Singapore
23 Jun 23
@innertalks That applies to me too.
I never enjoyed drinking sessions that went on till the cows come home!
I used to hold a glass of orange juice for hours.
And being a vegetarian made me stick out like a sore thumb.
And worse, some felt like I was a party pooper!
1 person likes this
@Jenaisle (16568)
• Philippines
22 Jun 23
@innertalks By the way, this is out of topic but may I know how you can bold your letters here? I'm trying to find the bold button but I can't find it. Thank you
2 people like this
@innertalks (23743)
• Australia
21 Jun 23
Yes, we cannot take back our words, either spoken, or written.
For a lot of us, it is hard even to take back our thoughts, as we continue to think in the same way.
New ways of thinking are needed to achieve change, and if we are inspired by love, our thinking will change then, for sure.
And, if we could love as God loves, we would never judge.
@jstory07 (148764)
• Roseburg, Oregon
21 Jun 23
@innertalks Love will always be felt and so will anger.
3 people like this
@innertalks (23743)
• Australia
21 Jun 23
@jstory07 Yes, one is a good feeling, the other is a bad feeling.
@innertalks (23743)
• Australia
24 Jun 23
Yes, I particularly like the simple idea of Jesus, when he said:
"But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one."
as recorded in Saint Matthew's gospel, chapter 5, verse 37.
We should mean what we say, and say it simply, directly, without trying to tie anyone up with our words.
@stapllotik (1935)
• India
22 Jun 23
It's so important to be mindful of the power of our words and the impact they can have on others. Speaking from a place of love not only benefits those around us, but it also brings positivity and kindness into our own lives.
2 people like this
@innertalks (23743)
• Australia
23 Jun 23
Yes, nicely said.
Love is understanding, compassionate, and listens to others too, whereas speaking from non-love, is non-caring, dismissive, and arrogant with others, and also tends to want to put people down, to take them down a peg, instead of building them up, and giving them a boost in their lives.
