You can call me Al

We had a guest preacher on Sunday from Malua Theological Seminary. His theme was on the power of the tongue. More specifically, the power of the spoken word. He said that the tongue is the smallest organ in the human body, yet it is the most powerful because it controls speech. Speech is such a powerful weapon that its effects cannot be underestimated. It has the power to inspire, to convert and to overcome insurmountable obstacles. It can life the human spirit to such wondrous heights and encourage the heart and mind to reach for the stars, literally. Words have the power to change the course of history. It can inspire like the works of Shakespeare or instruct like the Bible.

But it can also be a vehicle for evil. It can cause people to kill millions of their fellow man, like Hitler's 'Mein Kampf' did. It can cause people to enslave others, as the Communist Manifesto did. And it can encourage abhorrent behavior that can lead to the breakdown of the families, found in much of the music and movies found in today's pop culture. Words do indeed have power. The choice is ours to make. Do we use it for good? Or do we use it for bad?

Speaking of words, an event happened recently that has to do with words, sort of. On our last trip out to California, my family decided to bestow upon me a chiefly title. For those of you unfamiliar with Samoan culture, there are still chiefs in Samoan culture. They act as heads of clans and attend to the affairs of the clan. This is done mainly in being the spokesmen for the clan in ceremonial events. They also are leaders in bringing the clan together in times of crisis or in times of special events. One of the essential skills that chiefs need is the ability to speak in the ceremonial Samoan language. I have been thinking about becoming a chief for sometime. I don't know what the normal age is for a chief, but it's one of those things that kind of signifies your entering another stage in life.

It is a tremendous responsibility and honor. I am humbled that my family would think enough of me to allow me to be one of the family chiefs. Now, mind you, my title is not a high title. In fact, it's one of the lower ranking ones because it's a brand new title that our high chief made specifically for me. But it is a chiefly title nonetheless. It doesn't mean that I am any different than the person I was before I received the title. It doesn't mean I'm any better. But it does mean that I represent not only my immediate family, but extended clan. I pray that God anoints me with the true love of family that this title requires. I pray that God grants me the words to speak that is appropriate for any occasion. I pray that I become a positive role model for Him in all that I do. And if you could also pray for me, I would greatly appreciate it. My chief title is Teuimaotaifaletauleanavofaoa. I know it's a mouthful. So it will be shortened to Teuimaota. But you can still call me Al, as the song says.