“And God said…” At the beginning of everything, our Creator spoke the world into motion. His words shone light into the void, authoring expanses of sky and ocean, a vast collection of plants and animals, and a complex natural order to keep it all spinning.
God, in His abundant wisdom and creativity, brought human life into existence with words. He laid a profound, divine blessing upon the first human beings—setting them apart from the rest of creation as being made in His image—with words.
And then, the Word Himself became flesh and dwelt among us in a fallen world…speaking words that sliced to the core of brokenness. Words that proclaimed the way back to life eternal. Words that affirmed the lives of those most unseen and unloved.
From the first sentences of Genesis to the last utterances of Revelation, and just as powerful each day in our personal experiences with God, we see that His Word is central. It has kept the grand narrative of the gospel flowing, directing the paths of humans for thousands of years.
Words Matter
“A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.” Proverbs 15:4
As His image bearers, words bear a scaled-down weight in our created existence. They are a gift from God, designed to bring us to the highest peaks of human flourishing. And yet, in a fallen world, they can be among the strongest weapons of dehumanizing evil.
Words have the power to uplift and bring life, helping us collaborate with others in building civilizations, exploring new ideas, and forming relationships. Words can be, in their purest form, worship.
But with sin’s curse now intermingled in our being, words also have the power to bring death. To tear others down, halt progress, and break relationship. A simple string of words can convey that a person’s dignity is insignificant and undeserving of basic respect.
No matter how words are used, we know they stay with their recipients. They inform how image bearers view themselves and the world around them. Words harness power that either breeds life or breaks the spirit.
Because of this, words—the way we use them and our intent behind them—are critically important to God.
How We Talk About Life
“Let your speech always be gracious…” Colossians 4:6
At Stand For Life, we operate within the belief that God deeply cares about how we discuss issues of life.
In an age of deep societal division, where fellow image bearers are seeing the world from a variety of perspectives, we as followers of Jesus have an opportunity to truly see the people we communicate with. To first clothe ourselves in love, step into another’s shoes, and use words for healthy dialogue that goes deep beyond the issue’s surface.
We are responsible for thoroughly examining our words with the Holy Spirit:
- Are my words creating barriers, or are they inviting others into honest dialogue?
- Is my language first and foremost acknowledging the human dignity of those in the conversation, especially those I disagree with?
- Am I thoughtlessly speaking at others, trying to win? Or am I listening to and considering the words of others before responding?
- What is this person hearing when I use this term? Is there a word I could use that would get closer to the heart of the issue?
Words and Human Dignity
“He sent out His word and healed them…” Psalm 107:20
The vulnerable—the poor, the foreigner, the orphaned, the disabled, the family experiencing an unexpected pregnancy—are likely victims of words that have sought to rob them of their human dignity. They have been told, directly and indirectly, that they do not matter. That their lives are insignificant.
God is welcoming us into a ministry that includes our words. We can put the humanity of the vulnerable first in our language, bringing healing:
- The fetus becomes the child growing in the womb.
- Illegal immigrants become a family without legal status.
- Those with the least resources become individuals carrying the heavy burden of financial problems.
- The teen mom becomes a young woman facing an unexpected pregnancy.
- They have names and stories. They have real struggles that Jesus is asking His Church to step into with tangible action and disarming words.
Standing For Life requires us to see the power of our words. To use them as God uses them, opening doors and hearts that have long been shut.
Join us as we walk through our Image of God study. Access the study for free at standforlife.app!
