Words
Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
Ephesians 4:29
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about the power of words. I’m not talking about the obvious words that are so clearly racist, homophobic, hateful, or othering that they are easy to spot and avoid. No, I’m talking about the more subtle words that nevertheless shape our reality every single day, sustaining the harmful culture we are seeking to transform, and creating wounds we may not even know we caused.
Many of our daily expressions are anchored in violence. We say: pull the trigger on that, take a shot at it, pick your battles, blown away, pushed me over the edge, more bang for your buck, bite the bullet, roll with the punches, beats me, killing time, kicking around an idea, triggered, killing me, punch line, straight shooter…the list goes on. (footnote 1)
We casually use stigmatizing words like “crazy” to mean anything from silly and unpredictable to dangerous and evil. How might such language make a person with mental illness feel?
And what about terms (footnote 2) like master bedroom, blacklist, black market, and black sheep? All these, and more, have racist origins.
I am seeking these days to be more mindful of my words. I invite you to join me. This is not easy, as it reveals unconscious bias and unintentional ways we contribute to the status quo. Yet, in a world filled with so much suffering, it is one way we can Wage Peace. And Love One Another. Every Single Other.
Holy One, help us use our words wisely, that they may build up and not tear down, that they may help create and sustain the kind of world where all thrive.
Roxanne is a lover of words. She is married to Brian, and together they nurture a family of three cats, six adult children with three partners, and one adorable granddaughter.
1 Here’s a list you can check out: https://hopeandsafety.org/learn-more/violent-language/
2 Articles like this are helpful: https://www.babbel.com/en/magazine/common-racist-words-phrases