“What you say today will—not can, but will—do one of two things…”

A thought by Nelson Searcy from his book, Tongue Pierced: How the Words You Speak Transform the Life You Live (p. 21). David C. Cook. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)

So, what are they, Bill?  What are they?

The whole thought by Nelson is, “What you say today will—not can, but will—do one of two things: either lead you down a path toward a more purposeful, abundant life or move you toward destruction. “

He goes on, “Not physical destruction necessarily—though words can definitely be a catalyst for health issues—but the destruction of relationships, careers, momentum, joy, peace, hope, and contentment.”

Nelson says, “As you and I become more conscious of the way we use language, we can begin to take advantage of its power to create the lives we want. In the process, we can stop inadvertently sabotaging others and ourselves with words that bring death and destruction. If knowledge really is power, then intentional awareness is the live wire.

He later says, “Did you like the way your parents spoke to you when you were a child? If not, hopefully, you have been intentional about making changes in your own word choices when addressing your children. The way you speak to them now is likely the way they will speak to their own children twenty or thirty years from now. Your words will influence not only your own life’s direction but also the lives of generations after you. Similarly, think about how your father spoke to your mother, and vice versa, while you were growing up. Did you like the way they communicated with each other? Do you like where it has left their relationship today? If not, be mindful or those same words will come out when you talk to your spouse—and they will lead to the same results. The creative force of words cannot be overestimated.”

We really do need to see the power of our words.  And we need to do all we can to use our words to leads us and others toward a more purposeful, abundant life.  It is so easy for us to take our words for granted, is it?   

Yes, yes!