The power of words

I believe that words are the most powerful weapons a person possesses. They can inspire you or defeat you. They can encourage you or discourage you. They have the ability to make you do things that you wouldn't normally do. An inspirational word can summon courage.

At the church service for the Governor, there were three powerful speakers. The guest speaker for the day, Dr. Isakara Sataraka spoke about one's calling. He said that God has a plan for you. He quoted the often recited Biblical verse that sys God has a plan for you, a plan to prosper you. He stated that there was a reason for you to be in that church that morning, that God had ordained it. He retold the story of Moses and how God had ordained for him to grow up in the house of Pharaoh, raised by his daughter. It was all preparation for the mission God would give him. And he stated that everything a person goes through in life was preparation for the mission that God has in store for you. He said we may not know what our purpose in life is, but God knows and He is using our life experiences to prepare us for our calling.

Tama spoke about service. He touched on the different types of service in the Samoan culture, like serving your families, your village and especially your church. He said the concept of service or tautua was deeply ingrained in Samoan culture. He then shifted gears and said that the same concept was central to the Christian faith. He reminded us what Jesus did for His disciples on the night of the last supper, how He washed and cleansed their feet. Jesus came to serve His fellow man. Everything we do as Christians should be a service, to God, to our fellow man and to His ministry. The fa'a Samoa and Christianity go hand in hand.

The final speaker that day was the Governor. He said that he and Tama may be related because they both chose the same topic, service. He thanked all those in attendance for their service to our nation as military members. He also thanked them for their service to Samoa, for all the support they provide to our territory. He said a person serves because it is a sign of humility, bravery and can do spirit. He encouraged people that have decided to settle outside of Samoa to bring their children back home, to touch the soil of the land of their anscertors.

All of the words spoken that day were very powerful. They lifted people up and called them forward to serve our nation, our people in Samoa and especially our God. Words have power when they are used for the right purposes. I was truly inspired that day. Your calling, your service and your tautua. Words to live by.