The Value of Words

In the Sago mining accident in West Virginia three years ago, 13 miners were trapped for 40 plus hours before rescuers could reach them. It was from two and a half miles deep into the earth, just before midnight, when a rescue worker discovered a body lying on the ground but breathing. They had already recovered one dead body and feared that all were dead. So, in his excitement, he yelled out to the rest of the wearied rescuers, “Over here, over here they’re alive.” That word “alive,” from deep in the mine, was heard by the radio man and he blared out the word over his radio into the mine shack, which served as the command post for the rescue efforts, “We have found them they are alive.” Unfortunately before those in the mine shack could confirm the radio transmission, the word “alive” traveled heedlessly through the mountains like a sonic boom into the town. When the word “alive” reached the small church where the miners’ families had gathered and it was announced that they had found all of them “alive” – a jubilant celebration erupted. There was rejoicing, reprieve and relief from their 40 hours of having anticipated the worse. Three and a half hours later Ben Hatfield, CEO of the mine, looking wearied, saddened and deeply pained entered the church building where the jubilant families were waiting with open arms to greet their rescued husbands, sons, fathers, brothers and uncles. Sadly, Ben was not there to celebrate with them. He was there to make the grim announcement that all thirteen of the miners had been found but only one survived. In less than 5 seconds, his words turned the three and a half euphoric hours of joyous, jubilant, tears of celebration into tears of bitterness, sadness and despair.

Friends, the power of words are incalculable. There is a reason the Bible says in Proverbs 18:21, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.” And in Proverbs 25:11, “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.” Our words, yours and mine, are to our character what money is to the economy – money is the medium of exchange through which we buy and sell goods. Words are our currency – words are the medium of exchange through which we buy and sell our character for either good or ill. Just as money can be devalued by a down turned market our words can be devalued by a “down turned” character.

We need to remember our words have value; they are not neutral. As we all know from the current state of our economy, the devaluation of the dollar does not occur in a vacuum. It has weakened global markets all over the world. Friends, our words are not spoken in a vacuum – they are not neutral – they initiate a process for good or ill depending on our character. Let your light shine; choose your words carefully and by always seasoning them with grace.