My task, which I am trying to achieve is, by the power of the written word, to make you hear, to make you feel–it is, before all, to make you see.”
― Joseph Conrad, Lord Jim
How profound is the written word when by the mere use of it you can empower an individual to achieve wondrous things but in the same manner it can also destroy beyond any hope of ever rebuilding. In scripture, James chapter 3 reminds us that while the tongue is small, its small spark can create a great forest fire. Words have impact, good and bad. But then there are also words that I call transitional words, as in cause and effect words. One of these such words is one of the tiniest words in the English language and has immense impact regardless of which side of the fence it falls on. It is even used in mathematical equations.
And that word is “IF”. Examples: If the rain would fully stop and the sun would shine, the flood waters would abate faster. See, caused / effect. Or how about, if I would not eat that piece of chocolate mousse pie, it would help me lose the 10 pounds needed to fit in those jeans. Algebra uses if, excel uses if, people use if and God uses if. There is even a song called If.
But I come with one of my favorite verses in all scripture that resonates the power of the word “if”. Such a simple word, with a simple request, creating …power and peace.
II Chronicles 7:14 – if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
Cause / effect: if…will humble, pray, seek and turn…then I will forgive and heal. Little tiny word, very powerful use.
The first hurdle to jump over – being humble. We live in a world where being humble is a negative concept without understanding the power in being humble. Next you have pray. Do we really understand the power in prayer and do we use it for even the small stuff therefore not using it much at all. Then there is seeking God, oh that’s heavy. The Israelites were terrified of him and knew that if you were to fully look on his face you would die. Then there is turn from you sin. That’s a hard one and while 95% of us have never done anything worthy of jail time, we still sin. But if we would, he would. Little tiny word, great big impact.
So I remind you today of God’s ever growing desire of love toward you and how easy and hard it is to ask for that love as it is given freely. If you ask Him, he will reach out and pull you close.
Try to you will keep the word if in your day to days doings. You would be surprised of the impact it would have. If your outgo is sour, you will reap sorrow. If your outgo is gentle, you will reap goodness. So I remind you to drop your if moments in kindness and let the effects spread out in gentle ripples wherever you go.
Kind words are a creative force, a power that concurs in the building up of all that is good, and energy that shows blessings upon the world. Lawrence G. Lovasik
For the Love of 