Friday, June 29, 2018

THE POWER OF WORDS


Image credit: Second Life Marketplace
We get inundated daily by a torrent of words some plain gibberish, others informative or inspiring, a lot of them we wished we never heard because of their crassness or irreverence.

Words it seems have life. 

Because their meanings or implications fuel our imaginations and emotions, words can send relationships down slippery slopes. Just look around us. Broken marriages. A divided nation. Because of hurtful, stinging words.

As a bible-believing Christian and as someone who's built her career on disciplines (broadcast, advertising, public relations and marketing) requiring sound communication strategies, may I offer my two-cents worth on the business of words words and concepts being the foundation of any sound communication:

1. Words are powerful because they come from the Creator Himself.

Genesis 1 tells us how God spoke creation into being. "Let there be light," were just the first of these words.  

Jesus Himself is the Word. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." (John 1:1-3)

It's interesting how many businesses and products built their successes on words or principles which  marketing and advertising people refer to as business strategies or unique selling propositions like Disneyland building itself to be "The Happiest Place on Earth", Nike inspiring ordinary athletes to "Just Do It", or Apple following its "Think Different" philosophy, be it in company culture or product design.  

2. The higher the authority of the one speaking, the weightier the words.

God used words and still uses the Word the bible and Jesus per se to teach us how to live; with millions of lives transformed by the truths they've started to believe.

"The Filipinos are worth dying for," spoken by the exiled Ninoy Aquino who challenged the Marcos dictatorship, has continued to reverberate through several generations of patriotic Filipinos.

Martin Luther King, Jr., champion of Negro emancipation in the 1960s, still inspires Americans today with "I Have a Dream".

In his 1961 inaugural speech, John F. Kennedy exhorted his fellow Americans, "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country."  

How weighty indeed were Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf and his fiery speeches which inspired an entire nation to say yes to the annihilation of the Jews!  

Which brings us to the last point…

3. Words spoken by those in authority or positions of power take a life of their own.

Especially nowadays when information is quickly accessible with just a push of your smart-phone app,  politicians and celebrities' words get uploaded or broadcast in real time without much chance to edit or window-dress their carelessly-uttered thoughts.

Words build up. They also destroy. So those in leadership positions must be extra careful of their words and actions. Those on top of the totem pole speak louder than anyone's words or actions.

My main point: As audiences and responsible citizens, how should we respond to the words and behavior of our leaders especially when they wantonly lie, curse, take pride of their shenanigans, or use their power for their own ends?

"Pray for them," says the bible, even as we obey the laws. They too are our duly-elected representatives, so they are accountable to both God and the citizenry. They need to be warned if they exceed their bounds, for they certainly face God's wrath.  

"But if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, or from his wicked way, he shall die for his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul, Ezekiel 3:19.

God's Word is powerful. He does not lie. He is God and is in control.

We are Filipinos. We have a soul. Just giving up and allowing someone to abuse and divide us is a disservice to our nation and our God.  

Sunday, June 24, 2018

HOY, PINOY

Pilipino ka ba?
Magluksa, lumuhod, umiyak
Magdasal nang may pagsisisi
Nakapanlulumo Pilipinas na  mahal
Biglang nahulog sa mabahong burak
Watak-watak, warak-warak

Lideratong sinungaling
Nangako, napako
Paulit-ulit, paulit-ulit, sablay naman
Bulag na tagasunod parang mga tuod
Nagmana sa mapanlinlang na amo
Tila may panggayuma, siguro nga

Malinaw na ebidensya huwag bale-walain
Baksak na ekonomiya, mga pekeng balita
Patayang kahina-hinala, bagsak na hustisya
Kahiya-hiyang imahe sa mga tagalabas
Insulto dito, umaatitabong mura na parang may tama
Kinatutuwaan, pinapalakpakan, di ko maintindihan

Pati yamang-dagat, islang atin naman
Tipong hinayaang maangkin ng Tsina
Malaking palaisipan, may kapalit kaya?
United Nations kakampi't sang-ayon
Pero tayo natameme, parang naengkanto
Hoy Pinoy, iginisa ka na sa sariling mantika

Kawawang kabataan
Sinong magtuturo kung baluktot si tatay?
Kung ganyan umunlad, gayahin na lang
Mangako, magsinungaling, magkengkoy
Ikaw'y papalakpakan
Mapagtatakpan mga kapalpakan

'Yan ang akala niya kaya nagpipiyesta
Hindi natutulog Diyos na minura
Sino ba ang tao at kapangyarihan nya
Kung walang basbas ng gumawa sa kanya
Lakas ng apog maaagnas, matutunaw
Pag si Lord hinamon lalo ng mayabang
Subsob, sadsad, kangkungan katapat nya

Mga kababayan, dumilat, gumising
Kusutin ang mata, mag-isip
Tayo ang Pinoy, isang bansa
Hindi lang isang tao at alipores nya
Humingi ng galing mula sa pinakamagaling
Kahit among baluktot, maitutuwid o mapapalitan din
Balon mang malalim ang kinasadlakan
May makakapitan, makakaahon din

Sunday, June 3, 2018

HEART CHIPS


When was the last time you said, "I can do this, I'm in control;" then you come crashing down, embarrassed that you bungled it?

All because you depended entirely on yourself. Oh yes, I have a lot of these faux pas. Had one recently. Trite, really, but humbling nonetheless.

This teacher who's so used to speaking before large audiences struggled with her words and totally lost them in front of a few people. 

Irritating for someone who takes pride in her gift of gab.

Pride! Aye, there's the rub.

Seemingly insignificant mistakes expose the chips of our hearts. When we're so sure of ourselves—self-sufficient, that's when we realize we can't do things on our own.

We are by nature control  freaks, in varying degrees, right?

"I'll prove to them who's right."

"I'm way smarter."

"If only I could..."

We fail nonetheless and oftentimes hurt the people we love—even ourselves.

Failed relationships, disastrous careers, even national disasters—caused by politically-motivated decisions resulting in economic and social dysfunction—can be traced back to what we may term here as "Me-tology" or "I-cology".

Me-tology/I-cology 101 is easy to master. No need to enroll.

We've had it within us since birth—our sinful nature passed on to us by our first parents since they decided they had the wherewithal to do things on their own.

Me-tology is all about flaunting carnal-minded me-me-me, my desires, my plans, my rights, my innate ability to produce results. Wonder why children fight?

Our day-to-day stresses stem from our I-centered hearts: being unmindful of others' point of view, judging people based on your limited perspective, always thinking you're right or better, taking vengeance. Quite a list.

It's not so much the enormity of our challenges, but the state of our hearts, which the Lord cautions us about. Have we yielded all of our hearts' cavities to Him?

This heart of mine can be pretty deceitful and cold, making me veer as far away from God, especially when I don't pray and read His Word. Yes, even if you're a Christian!

"Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it," cautions Proverbs 4:23.

The moment I start thinking "I can do it," the sooner I realize I can't—on my own.

"I can do all things through Him (Christ) who gives me strength," Philippians 4:13. With Jesus, I can!

John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."

The "doing" is still mine; the wisdom and direction all His. My Creator knows how and where I should point my nose. I just need to follow His lead.

And our big God is not just concerned with the big things. He's interested in our littlest concerns—yes, even in simple matters like opening your mouth.

Prayer: Lord, forgive me for my self-sufficiency. You created me. You've deposited your abilities in me. Help me to realize that apart from you, I am mere dust and can't do anything by myself. I declare my dependence on you. Help me Holy Spirit, in Jesus' name.