Words Matter

By Greg Laurie, Op-ed contributor Saturday, March 28, 2015

"But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.'"
— Matthew 5:37

During the days of the early church, thousands lost their lives because they would not say two words: Kaiser Kurios, which means "Caesar is Lord." That's because they understood that words matter.

Greg Laurie, senior pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, California and Harvest Orange County in Irvine, California, shares the Gospel with a sold-out crowd of 19,000 for Harvest America at the American Airlines Center and Victory Park in Dallas, Texas, Oct. 5, 2014. | (Photo: rever Hoehne for Harvest Ministries)

You may remember the story of Rachel Scott. She was one of the 13 people who were killed at Columbine High School. Rachel, 17, was a strong Christian and very involved in her youth group.

On April 20, 1999, armed students began shooting people on Rachel's high school campus. They came to Rachel and shot her twice in the legs and once in the torso. Then they left, only to return moments later. Lifting her by the head, they asked, "Do you believe in God?" Rachel understood that the words she chose would have serious consequences.

These godless men would take her life if she said yes, and perhaps even if she said no. But without hesitation, Rachel said, "You know I do!"

"Then go be with him," responded one of the boys before shooting her in the head. Rachel received a martyr's crown that day, I am sure. What would you have said under such circumstances?

Rachel understood that words matter.

Copyright © 2015 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved. Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Bible text from the New King James Version is not to be reproduced in copies or otherwise by any means except as permitted in writing by Thomas Nelson, Inc., Attn: Bible Rights and Permissions, P.O. Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214-1000 Used with Permission