Francis A. Wayo
Through rhetorics, leaders in time past wrote their names in history books based on how well they were able to utilise words as the weapon and ladder towards achieving their feats. As simple as words may seem to be, they shape our lives. They have both healing and killing powers. A word is like a two-edge sword: to heal and to kill. As a sword, you can either swing it in the right or wrong direction.
Making bad comments about people, castigating them, falsifying against them as well as using abusive and vulgar words against a person is likely to cause him/her a grievous harm that kills his/her inner being (the soul).”Gentle words bring life and health; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.” – Proverbs:15:4
As you speak or write, be careful with your diction. Bear in mind that your choice of words is going to be an architect to somebody’s life as your message is powerful enough to harm or charm your audience. Words are both persuasive and destructive.
According to Jane Mensah, “with the tongue, we propose and with the same tongue, we destroy.”
Some persons have committed suicide just to save their poor souls from human embarrassment and tongue lashing. Some have given up in life just because there was no one to encourage them — instead, they were dissuaded and destroyed by words.
There is no doubt that as humans, we have the gift and innate ability to speak — however, this gift is often misused. Your ability to speak and write should not be an opportunity to destroy others spiritually, mentally and physically. Although, no one ever think himself a fool, the most obvious symptom of foolishness is not having control over your tongue; not knowing when to keep calm your thoughts; when to open your lips and when to close; and most importantly, how to free those words out of your mouth.
Learn how to use and not to misuse words. A wise person is one who knows when to talk, where to talk, and how to talk. How you use words will distinguish you from others: as a prophet of doom, a messiah of peace, or as a healer or killer. Your rude and harsh words may crucify a soul, while your sweet and loving words will please the ears, tease the soul, ease the pain and as well inspire and save a soul from rotting. Do not let your tongue to rule your head. Control your tongue because it can cure or quel.
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