Choose Your Words Wisely

[498 words] The story is told of a man who called the phone company to complain about how his name was listed in the directory. He angrily insisted, “My name is Sweady, but this is the second time you’ve mistakenly spelled it Cyirwu.” “I’m sorry,” the customer service representative said, “I will make sure to fix that right away. So that I’m sure to do it correctly, will you please spell your name for me, sir,” she requested. “Yes,” the man said. “It is “S” as in sea, “W” as in why, “E” as in eye, “A” as in are, “D” as in double-u, and “Y” as in you.” No wonder the man was misunderstood. No wonder the man struggled to convey his message? He was choosing the wrong words. We are reminded that our words matter and that our words have power. The book of Proverbs warns, “Death and…