I have heard it said that the primary function of words is to create and the secondary function is to communicate. I agree with that statement so much that I would even go so far as to say that the first carries over into the second!
What do I mean by that?
We can readily see in Genesis 1 how God used His Words to create the universe.
“And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.”
Genesis 1:3 KJV
And, of course, this is confirmed in Hebrews chapter eleven. “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.”
Hebrews 11:3 KJV
This is what I mean by carrying over into the second. Look over at Ephesians chapter four and you will see that, even when you are using words to communicate, they are still creating!
“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”
Ephesians 4:29 KJV
The Amplified Classic translation says it this way, “that it may be a blessing and give grace (God’s favor) to those who hear it.” Your words, in communication, can create edification, can build up, can bring grace in someone’s life!
Words are spiritual containers. They can carry faith or fear thereby creating faith or fear in other’s lives when the words are simply used in communication.
A very vivid and real example of this can be seen in what the news media did with their words of fear during the recent covid situation. They created fear in a huge portion of the population of the entire planet!
Words can contain condemnation and shame or grace and mercy. They can contain hurt and pain or healing and comfort.
Colossians chapter four says it like this, “let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt.” I like the way the Amplified Classic says it, “Let your speech at all times be gracious (pleasant and winsome), seasoned [as it were] with salt”
Colossians 4:6 AMPC
We are, after all, supposed to be the salt of the earth! We are supposed to preserve – not spoil!
Even in the first Covenant, we see in Ecclesiastes 10:12 KJV that the words of a wise man are gracious. The cross reference says that the Hebrew just simply says that the words of a wise man ARE grace!
Now, I want to go back over the Ephesians four and point out something that the Lord recently dealt with me about.
“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace UNTO THE HEARERS.”
Ephesians 4:29 KJV
Did you ever notice that? Ministering grace specifically to the person or people that are listening to you at the moment! With whom are you communicating? A group of young people? A more mature group? New believers? Sinners? Your children? Your spouse?
The Lord recently connected Ephesians 4:29 with 1 Corinthians 9 for me.
“For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; to them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.”
1 Corinthians 9:19-22 KJV
Wow! What a connection! Our communication should be all things to all men! We should be able to relate to and communicate with various groups of people or individuals!
How can we do this? Well, the absolute number one way is to listen to the Holy Spirit! He is the Master Communicator! Number two, “study to show thyself approved, rightly dividing the word of truth [and grace].” 2 Timothy 2:15 KJV
I strongly encourage you to get into the Word and also find some Scripturally based resources written by godly men and women and put in the study time!
Now, more than perhaps any other time in history, as the men and women of God, the husbands and wives, the employers and employees, and ALL the other groups and demographics out there, we need our words to be creating grace, love, hope and faith in everyone with which we communicate!