The Energy of Words

[Isaac said to Esau] "Your brother came deceitfully, and has taken away your blessing." -Genesis 27:35

I raised two boys.  The sibling rivalry was no picnic, though they are great friends now. I know there were times that I would blame one for something that was done by the other.  Once discovered, I would apologize to the one I blamed and then take it up with the other.  No problem. And this is how I always looked at this story of Jacob and Esau. When Isaac realized the mistake on his part and the deception of Jacob, why not just say, "Sorry Esau, your brother tricked me.  His blessing is null and void because of his deception.  Now here is your blessing...." No problem.

What we don't realize in this world where words are easily spoken and written and heard and thrown around, and emailed and texted and used in ways both good and bad is that words have power. There is even an energy to them. When I would accuse the wrong son of doing something wrong, that negative energy entered him. The power of the words of a parent's disappointment, no matter how small, even if not spoken harshly, has an impact. Those words, together with every other word spoken to him, helps to form the man he would one day become, each word impacting him to a lesser or greater extent. Blessings, especially in the age of Isaac, Jacob and Esau, were and are loaded with energy. You can't take back energy. If you bless someone, you can't unbless them.

Anything said to another person cannot be unsaid. All words have energy and exist long after they are spoken. Let the words you speak be filled with positive energy.

God of Our Words,

May we realize the power of our words and use them always to build and uplift. Amen