Whatever you do in word. . .

I'm preparing to teach a bible study on Colossians 3:1-17. I was reflecting on verse 17 today: “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” I noticed something today that I hadn’t thought about before in the following lines: “In everything you do, whether in word or deed. . .”

Normally, when we think of doing something, we think only of deeds; physical actions, such as pruning tree branches or walking. Often times we think that words are not actions. 1 John 3:18, for instance, draws a clear line between words and actions: “Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” Indeed, in this case, words fail to communicate compassionate love when they are not consistent with actions.

However, in Colossians 3:17, Paul includes communicating with words as one of the things we do, suggesting that expressing words is an action. After all, did not God create all things through speaking, through the Word?

What does it mean to communicate with words in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the father through him? How can my words, in whatever form they take, express the imprint of Christ’s character and reputation? How integrated are my words with the rest of my life? What does it look like to praise and give thanks to God through Christ in the act of communicating?