The Power of Words by Chad Hess

On Wednesday, a 28-year-old man walked into the office of the Family Research Council and shot the building manager.  The building manager then subdued the shooter until the police arrived.  The Family Research Council is a conservative Christian organization that opposes gay marriage.  The shooter volunteered with the Southern Poverty Law Center, which has labeled the Family Research Council a hate group because of their treatment of homosexuals.  While everyone agrees that the shooter is responsible for his actions, some have suggested that the Southern Poverty Law Center has some culpability for calling the Family Research Council a hate group.  

Two years ago, Dr. George Tiller, an abortion provider, was killed prompting similar accusations of culpability against conservative groups who identified Tiller as a killer of babies.  There are several other examples of recent shootings that have been fueled, in part, by extremist or inflammatory rhetoric.

In the United States, the First Amendment protects our freedom of speech.  However, as precious as that freedom is, are we not accountable for the ramifications of that speech?  Extremist and inflammatory rhetoric may make for attention-grabbing headlines and sound bites, but there are very real ramifications that we often don't realize.  This is as true for politicians as it is for 5th graders.  

The bible talks a lot about the power of words.  Proverbs 12:18: "There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing."  James 3:12: "So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire!"  Proverbs 18:21: "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits."

Our words have great power, both for good and for evil.  Are your words building up or tearing down?  Are your words inflaming or healing?  "Death and life are in the power of the tongue."

Chad Hess