Words that Stick

Words are always more than words. Words move and become more, this is the meta-movement of Scripture.

“And God said…”

Creation bursts onto the scene… through words.

“In the beginning was the Word… the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.”

Of course, the movement from words spoken to words embodied. It’s built into the fabric of the Hebrew understanding of the word, “word.”

davar is the Hebrew for “word,” and it also means “thing.”

Words have a thing-ness to them. There is materiality and depth to words. They can create space within us, or simply take up space within us…. but they are doing some-thing.

Have you ever said, or heard, “Their words have stayed with me all these years.” Why is that? It’s the recognition of how words carry weight. Which can be for ill or good, correct?

Words matter, because they hold matter.

We find spoken to the rescued and now sent Hebrew people to… “Not take the LORD’s name in vain.”

And we often think, “swears.” Don’t say certain swears. Sure, I guess, but it’s actually what’s underneath it. The word “take” communicates, “to carry.” And the word “vain” is the Hebrew shäv, which means an emptiness of words or lying.

So this is more about speaking words and then not fulfilling what you spoke. Your actions, or inaction, have emptied the words of their matter. Don’t empty the words of their matter by how you live. Fulfill them.

And as I have mentioned a number of times in my writings, Jesus says, “Do not think that I came to abolish the Torah or the Prophets! I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill.”

The Greek word for fulfill is, plēroō, which means to fill to the full, to complete.

Jesus fills the words to their fullest potential, he completes their intent. Jesus adds weight to the words and Jesus carries the weight of the words. Through his living and breathing ways and actions, he embodies their depth and meaning.

Which has always been the invitation for each of us. Not to simply memorize words in order to regurgitate them to ace the multiple choice test, but to embody the weight of the words with our very lives.

We are to be the thing-ness of the words.

Words matter, they are weighty... and they are sticky.

This idea made way for the benediction, for the priests to place a blessing on the people… with words. To this day, it is understood that offering a benediction or blessing, is to speak words over people as a way of placing words on people, so they would carry the words into the world.

Stunning.

And the Word spoken and lived is Love. For us and in us. For you and in you.

May those words stick to you. And may you carry them in you and on you, that you would embody and offer that same love to all people.