We Need Better Words

Despite it all, words are what we have, and words are what will heal.

I gave up on words.

As theologian, teacher, and writer, they had been my food, my air, my delight.

But words failed me.

Back in 2012, the year my blog Holding things up to the light launched, the internet opened before me, a thrilling frontier filled with exciting, eagerly scribbled hopes and dreams. Now, the www is filled with the rotting stench of bad ideas wall-papered over by even worse ones.

Am I exaggerating? I admit to some hyperbole. Nevertheless, for long years I stopped writing, waiting for the air to clear before it felt safe to resume.

Silly me.

It wasn’t that I was afraid—I was frustrated. For, what good are words when smear campaigns drain them of all meaning, when vocabulary is weaponized to divide and conquer, to drive a wedge between us, between God and the world he loves?

No community can survive without trustworthy words. Remember Dr. Seuss’ Horton? “I meant what I said and I said what I meant—an elephant’s faithful one-hundred percent!” Horton kept his promise, the story’s end was a happy one, and still to this day we believe the guy.

Too bad Horton’s not human.

The compliment, “He’s a man of his word” used to be desired. Now we have to ask, “Which meaning of which word?” Consider these examples: liberal, conservative, empathy, justice, democracy, pride, immigrant, patriotic, woke, pro-life. I would guess you were either triggered or reassured by each word. But your response may not align with mine, as we arm-wrestle for definition supremacy.

What if we refused to wrestle? What if we changed the conversation?

Do you long for more true, beautiful, good, courageous and curious questions? Wouldn’t we all benefit from more wise, thoughtful, humble, and trustworthy answers?

I don’t claim to have all the answers, or even the best questions, but I do know where to look, and listen for them. And it has become clear to me that, despite my disillusionment with words, words are what we have, and words are what will heal.

What about you?

Maybe like me you wish we were living in a tale filled with better words. You are not alone. Between the prologue and epilogue of human history, the story can get crazy. But we can fight the crazy—one new insight, one humbled heart, one declaration of trust, one act of service, one better word at a time.

So, welcome, my friends. This space is for beautiful hearts, original thinkers, the curious, the compassionate, the caring, and for those who can laugh at ourselves, and maybe even change our minds.

The plan

To begin, I’ll be posting once or twice a week—feel free to subscribe, (or unsubscribe if this caught you by surprise). May this be place of welcome, where we meet kindred spirits, and are encouraged by each other’s words. We really are in this together!

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