Monday, August 25, 2008

Words

Recently, I've been praying quite alot. While I'm praying and spending time doing reflection of my life. "Words" struck me. I mean words from our mouth, tone of voice, blessing and even cursed. Since at a very young age, I find that I'm always very sensitive to word and the tone of voice . I take every words seriously and take it to heart. I knew the importance of words but never do I know that every words from our tongue brings 'power'.

In the book of James in the Bible

[ 3When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. ] James 3 : 3 -6


Personally, I'm very ministered by what Apostle James had written. He gave a very clear example of how powerful that little tongue of ours could do. He used few examples. By comparing our tongue to a "Bit" and "Small Rudder".

A bit is a metal mouthpiece of a bridle used commonly on horses to control and direct the horse. Imagining with a small mouthpiece, we can control and direct such a big domesticated animal! By pulling a little left, the big guy will turn left and by pulling a little right he will move right or you gave him a little pull back, he will stop! Amazing isn't it? Move it! *Gi di ya!* Halt!

Ships are large with big sail and like what Apostle James had said, it's driven by strong winds! But it's not enough just to move forward! Ships need rudder, a small rudder will do. It's to control and direct the ship.

What are the similarities then? Both talked about controlling and directing. Right. But it doesn't stop here. Both "Bit" and "Small rudder" are small objects used together with big animal and big ships and yet with it small 'size', they are able to control and direct animals or things much bigger their size!

[9With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. 10Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.] James 3: 9- 10

With a word, God created the heaven and earth. With a word, God set apart day and night. With a word, God created man and woman in His image. With a word, God bless and said it was good. When God say something, it happened. We're created in God's image. Do you know what that means then? Our words are powerful. Should we speak with wisdom and praise, it brings healing and blessing but if we are not careful with our words, it brought forth cursed and even destruction.

I was a victim. Why I couldn't speak well or dare to speak up or even sing was because I was hurt during my teenage years. My mum would gave negative comments about my voice each time I sing. Saying things like I do not have a nice voice, I better not sing,etc. Once, Twice, Thrice. So as time goes by, I began to doubt about my voice. I don't feel confident at all or rather, I hated it whenever I faced events/situations that requires me to talk. E.g: Presentations, Oral, Socialising, not to mention about singing. I'll doubt too if people say that I sing or speak well. I'll think that they are all lying to me!

Furthermore, I hated CNY too. Never once have I enjoyed my CNY especially from my mother side. I was hurt by my father. While talking with my aunty about educations [my cousin is from RI] my father said one thing that I never forget since then. " My son is stupid ... useless ... how to compare?" Well done. What a thing to say. It maybe a very "Chinese" thing to you but it do caused a lot of hurt and cursed on me then.

Of course, I'm fully healed of my hurt by God's grace and I'm slowly learning to forgive my dad for what he had said. Well, having to understand and know how powerful our word is. Let's speak forth words of blessing. Let words from our tongue be of blessing, healing, encouraging, motivating, prophesy, grace, love and truth.

Jedidiah; 7:14 PM