Our Words and Our Family

We are created in God’s image. He created the world by using His words. Our words also contain power and will surely have impact. What can we learn about this and how can we carefully handle this power?

Words to regret

We will start with a negative example. Read Genesis 31:19-35.

Jacob wants to leave his Uncle Laban, but does not have the courage to say so. Therefore, he leaves in secret, and takes everything that belongs to him with him. However, his youngest (and most beloved) wife Rachel steals a few of Laban’s idols without Jacob knowing.

Laban wants to say goodbye, and therefore follows Jacob. When he finds them, he also accuses Jacob of having stolen his gods. Jacob reacts in anger, using these words:

Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the idols. Still, it was his beloved Rachel who died shortly afterwards, while giving birth to their son (Genesis 35:16-18).

Our words are able to bless, and to damn. Those words are anything but empty. Those words have a positive or negative effect. James puts it like this:

Thankfully, our words do not always have such a dramatic impact! The reason for this is not that our words are without power, but rather that God protects us from ourselves. Let us, therefore, consider carefully what we say!

Words to bless

Words to bless
A person who speaks in a positive manner about others blesses them. God has given people a lot of influence to bless, especially in the family context. We can find an example of this fact in Genesis 27:1-24 and Genesis 27:34-38.

Isaac presumed that he was dying, and he wanted to bless both of his sons. The oldest was going to receive the best blessing. That is why he sent Esau on his way to hunt game and prepare it for him. Esau’s mom heard about this, and wanted her youngest, Jacob, to receive that best blessing. She then thought of a sly plan, and Jacob was blessed by his father, instead of Esau.

As soon as Esau discovered this, he asked his father to bless him anyway. His father’s answer holds a lot of meaning.

The blessing that Isaac had bestowed upon Jacob has a huge influence on Jacob’s future. Apparently, the blessing cannot be retracted. Another thing that is of importance, is that this also has impact on the future of Jacob’s brother, since he will have to do with a lot less.

Within our families we should be encouraged to bless our children every day, with the big and the small things. God finds value in that and merges His Name with that. (Compare this to Matthew 16:19).

Words to consider

In His Word, God often gives us guidelines as to how we should speak. This is because our words have great influence, on ourselves, and on those to whom or about whom we speak. It prevents us from gossip (speaking poorly about others). It is also not good to talk scornful about ourselves. Use every opportunity to speak well of others! God gives us that power, and it will build up our family.

David prayed in Psalm 19 that his words and thoughts would always be a joy for his Lord.