It’s a big deal when people speak over you. Words have power. Heck, God created the whole universe using words. DNA is, in a way, a set of words that describe a life. Anytime anything was made, words preceded it. For example, once upon a time, someone looked at the plot of land where your home stands and said, “let’s build a home here.” Everything that exists began with somebody saying something aloud; an idea, spoken to or over a group of people.

Words also have spiritual power, and this is known across every religion and worldview, which is why you have things like taboos. I think of Balaam, who was not a godly man, but rather an enchanter who was hired to speak curses over armies. He was retained to curse the Jewish people, but God prohibited it and told Balaam not to do it. Why? Because apparently, even though he wasn’t a man of God, his words had power and needed to be stopped. Words are powerful!

Since we are made in God’s image and He created us using words, He gives us authority with our words, too. This is why we should choose carefully how we speak, always bringing life to those who hear. In Jesus, we can encourage and bless others with our words, and that’s good news!