But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other heads of Israel’s families answered them, “You may have no part with us in building a house for our God, since we alone will build it for the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia has commanded us.” ~Ezra 4:3
When I was a youngster, I heard the kids in the neighborhood chant, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”
If you believe this, I’ve got some swamp land in Central Florida I’d like to talk to you about. It’s nonsense. Why? Because words are powerful. And at times they can hurt deeply.
Our friend Zerubbabel—don’t you just love this name?—was busily rebuilding the temple that once had been the center of Jewish life. Years of war had devastated this sacred place, and Zerubbabel was doing the right thing. Unfortunately, not everyone was enthusiastic about the work he and his associates were doing. Enemies of the Jews from neighboring countries tried to hurt Zerubbabel and the other laborers. And they did it with their words.
These people said things to discourage the builders. They even sent in specialists who were trained in extracting the enthusiasm and joy from these faithful people—“officials to act against them” (v. 5).
Did Zerubbabel understand the power of words? He sure did. He reminded the naysayers, “You may have no part with us in building a house for our God” (v. 3). And don’t you suspect that he did this within earshot of his workers? He publicly countered the cruel and discouraging words that had the capability of weakening his people’s resolve.
You and I know about this. We’ve been there. We’ve heard words aimed at our hearts that frighten or cripple us.
Dads have the power of these “officials.” Our words can dishearten our children. The things we say can weaken the ones we love. But thankfully, the good words we speak can encourage our kids. With the things we say, we can reverse fearfulness and give our families strength.
Choosing your words carefully is a good idea. Good words have unbelievable power.