The Positive and Negative Effect of Words

Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue” (NASB). If the recitation of blessing speaks life, hope, affirmation, and promise then words that communicate death and despair need to be recognized as curses. Let me be clear, one does not have to practice occultism or witchcraft in order to pronounce a curse. This is a painful reality because many of us have spoken a curse into someone else’s life, be it innocently or intentionally.

Whether or not we like to admit it, we can speak words that instill hopelessness and loss to others. Destructive phrases like, “You idiot,” “Can’t you do anything right?” or “You make me sick,” cut like a knife and the impact can last for years…even a lifetime.

When our negative words resonate with the listener, they can reinforce vain imaginations and lies with which the person may already be struggling. It is terrible to think we could say something that would break someone’s spirit or discourage them to the point of losing confidence in their ability to accomplish something worthwhile. We need to be aware that our misspoken words can influence another’s self-image or contribute to a destructive change of direction in another person’s life.

The more influence we have in someone’s life, the more weight our words carry. I have more persuasion with my wife and my daughters than I do with an acquaintance or a group of strangers. Our words are powerful and so we must be on guard as to what we say and how we say it.