Reflection on The Word

There is an ancient concept that words have intrinsic (built-in) power. This means when we talk our words have a power of their own apart from their specific meanings. That power relates to more than just our understanding of language, it is tied to our own personal experiences. For that reason, certain words can have a strong emotional impact on us.

Consider these words each in turn for just a moment…
home…
mom…
pain…

Their meanings are obvious and so they bring understanding, but don’t they also bring about even just a glint of feeling as well? Most of us have a personal identity and relationship with each of those words. For those with broken childhoods or for orphans those words are likely to elicit a much different response than for those who had stable, happy childhoods. However, both types would be impacted by the word one way or another.

Other than common trigger words that tend to affect most people, there are also fewer common words that impact us individually. “Handicap”, for instance, would mean something very, different to an avid golfer than it would to a crippled person, and it could be good or bad for either, while someone who was neither might have no particular emotional reaction to that word at all.

If any of us think about it, we are likely to come up with a number of words that have some special meaning to us that we would consider trigger words; words that generate a feeling inside. Point is you can feel the power of the word. The word has an association to something that impacts you powerfully and so the word itself has power when you think about it; it affects you. And the same thing can be said about the power of names. However, while names mostly affect us on an individual basis, some can affect people in general due to their relevance to society as a whole. Take Abe Lincoln for instance. Most Americans likely get a “good” feeling when they hear that name, because of who he was and what he did. “Honest Abe.”

However, words that have no direct association to us will not directly impact us. This includes words we don’t know the meanings of and words that relate to objects that don’t exist. For instance, words like Martians, pink elephants, flying pigs, the sandman, dragon, unicorn, etc. have little to no power, because they represent things that are not real and cannot impact us in any way.

In Romeo & Juliette, Shakespeare said, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” And so, it would. Everyone, in their own language, has a word to identify that lovely, thorny, flowering plant. And when people hear it, it likely conjures up good feelings of Spring and love. It doesn’t matter the specific word used in any given language or how it sounds to the ear; it means the same to all because it gets its power from the object it represents. Yes, there can be power, sometimes great power in words, especially names, which can have a huge emotional impact on us.

So, at this juncture, let us consider a very, particular word; a name that seems to have universal impact, Jesus. How did that name make you feel just now…Jesus.

Perhaps, more than any other name or word, the name Jesus (and its non-English equivalents) has the most profound impact on people around the world. And that impact usually elicits an emotional response, sometimes in the extreme. Many are put off by the name; they are offended as if it were a dirty word or an insult. Some get downright angry at the very mention of the name, as if it were someone who were hurting them. On the other hand, there are others who find great comfort and hope at the mere mention of the name. While some can actually go into a stupor of rapture at times while chanting the name in a congregation.

How can this be? Such a strong affect to the name of an itinerant teacher of an enslaved land from two-thousand years ago; a man who never traveled further than one hundred miles from his birthplace? Simply because He transformed the world, we live in. Many historians believe that no human who ever existed had a more profound, enduring impact on the world and its history than Jesus Christ.

Therefore, it makes sense that the very name, Jesus, has such an effect on so many. Even if it is a negative effect, it still has passion and power behind it for most people. There are some who may have no reaction to the name at all, but I would venture that is because they have not heard of him, or they have an acquaintance who also bears that name and so it carries a different meaning for them.

However, in my own experience, I have seen many people squirm over the mention of his name, as I have also seen some truly lifted up at the name’s mention. Mostly, in my universe, I have sensed an uneasiness in others when I say, “Jesus.” Even among fellow believers for whom it should convey a very, positive message, there is often an uneasiness at the mention of his name. I won’t venture why that may be, there are certainly a number of reasons, but it speaks to the power of that name.

Why does the name Jesus carry such power anyway? That question is especially perplexing when I consider most atheists I have encountered. Their strong, negative reaction over the name of someone they claim did not even exist is remarkable! Imagine such a reaction to the Tooth fairy! If Jesus did not exist or was a just another man, why the vehement negativity to him at the mere mention of his name? Especially, when you consider the very positive things associated with him, like love, healing and forgiveness. At worse, you would expect a shoulder shrug or a yawn. But not so, because there is power in that word! It typically demands more than indifference.

In recognition of the name’s general impact and particularly if you have a strong one yourself, I encourage you to delve more into the name of Jesus to better understand why. He is clearly not for everyone, He Himself said so. Most will reject Him and have no interest in learning more about Him. However, any reader who feels otherwise, I encourage to read more about Him. There must be a reason why He still matters so much all these years later. I pray curiosity, if not attraction, will prompt the reader to learn more about Him. There are few characters in history more engaging and revolutionary.