Children have wild imaginations. My sons are airplane pilots, explorers and knights – all from the back of the car. That imagination does not go away by itself. It is usually killed by something as small as a comment. Words are the little pistol that kills the big buck.

  It is impossible to imagine that something so small could do any real damage. There are very few (if any) hunters that carry around a pistol. It takes more fire power to take down the buck that you will brag about down the road. But the imagination does not dwell in the land of reality.

  Words are small in reality but in the realm of the imagination they are as powerful as giants. They stomp around the countryside, crushing down the gardens of dreams. Words are extremely powerful.

“You can’t do that.”

“Just let me do it myself. It will take less time.”

“What were you thinking?”

  These short phrases have the ability to destroy the hopes of the people who are hit by their bullets. Each word screams your lack of confidence in the person and in the person’s abilities – at least that is how he or she will hear it. Soon that person begins to have doubts in his or her own abilities.

  The bible mentions the use of words and the tongue as one of the most important things – “the tongue has the power of life and death” according to Psalm 18:21. Words can build up a dream and give life to an imagination or words can be used to kill the heart and soul of the man.

  Learn to speak words that empower the people around you – that empower you.

Words to Build Imagination

1. “I am . . .” – come up with three phrases that speak something positive about your ability or your future. Repeat those phrases, out loud, for a whole week. See how your imagination begins to light up once again.

2. “You can . . .” – come up with three phrases about the people around you and the abilities that shine in each of their lives. Speak these phrases to them and about them for a whole week. The encouragement that you plant will grow into dreams they can begin to follow.

3. “I will . . .” – think of one thing that you can do today to lift up a person near to you. It could be something as simple as a word of encouragement or something as intense as agreeing to join that person in a task.

  Hunting season may have kicked in but that does not mean you need to spend your spare time hunting down the dreams of others. Put the pistols away. Be aware of the power of the little words that fly so easily from the lips. Choose to speak words that inspire, encourage and lift up. A little pistol may be able to kill a big buck but that same word can be turned around in a way that can give life to a world of hopes and dreams.