Do you ever find yourself at a loss for words? Me? Rarely… rarely. It’s not that I’m not surprised by what we all do and say, it’s more that I typically also have a reaction… one, that I’m pleased to say, I’ve learned to not always articulate. However, the actual shock/surprise/ jaw dropping response resulting in a loss for words……. rarely. I’ve always thought that my reason is that I’m a bit of a wordsmith – words are in my ‘wheelhouse’. But when I think about all that the Lord has and is doing for and with me – yes, yes I do find myself at a loss for words.
‘So?’ Do I hear you say? This is an attitude, ‘quality’, attribute that if I didn’t feel this way I would want to. To me, this is not something to avoid, rather something to savor, to embrace. ‘You need more words from me?’ Let me try and explain. There are some words that the devil has tricked us into taking the wrong definition. Not that the definition is wrong, it’s just not the right applicable. Example: fear. Especially in the Old Testament we are told to ‘fear’ the Lord, etc. Fear is typically defined as a negative, something to avoid, not wanted, to cower under. But that’s not the definition when applied to the Lord.
Fear the Lord… reverence, awe. Google tells us:
“The Hebrew word translated into ‘awe’ in the Bible is yirah (יראה, pronounced yir-ah). It often directly translates into fear, like “fear of the Lord,” but it can also mean respect, reverence, and worship.”
I suspect this was a reluctant definition by Google because it then ends with: “But, make no mistake about it, yirah is strongly connected to ‘trembling’.” Which should make us wonder about the word ‘trembling’. Again, typically a afraid of ‘fear’ based definition. And never assume that your definition is the universal definition. We all slightly redefine according to our experiences.
Words are incredibly important including their definitions and applications. When I first read:
“… on the day of judgment people will have to give an accounting for every careless or useless word they speak. For by your words [reflecting your spiritual condition] you will be justified and acquitted of the guilt of sin; and by your words [rejecting Me] you will be condemned and sentenced.”
[Matthew 12:36-37]“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words.” [Proverbs 18:21]
admittedly it did cause me to stop and wonder. And also realize that I am guilty of unthinking, unintended understandings… and that only begins the litany. I do know that there are moments when I react to someone else’s words incorrectly. Fortunately, this has also provided a standard of double checking whether speaking or listening to know the definitions.
There are other verses that speak to us about our words, but these 2 suffice in making us aware of our responsibilities when it comes to what we say. and I would add – how we say them. No, not censorship but an awareness of what we say and the potential implications from that. Just like in other areas of our lives, we are responsible for the ramifications from our actions/words.
When you think about it another minute… being at a loss for words may not be all that bad IF we take a moment and think about what we will say before we wish we could take back what we just said.
