Author Don Miguel Ruiz argues that there are just four agreements that we live by in this life in order to achieve right relationship with ourselves and one another (The Four Agreements: Amber-Allen Publishing, 1997). The first one is "Be impeccable with your word".
"The first agreement is the most important one, and also the most difficult to honor" Ruiz says, "It sounds very simple, but it is very, very powerful".
He goes on to say that,
"Your word is the power you have to create. [It is] the most powerful tool you have as a human ... but like a sword with two edges, your word can create beauty, or destroy everything around you. One edge is misuse of the word, which creates a living hell. The other edge is the impeccability of the word, which will create beauty, love, and heaven on earth. Depending on how you use it, the word can set you free, or enslave you more than you know."
The word impeccable means "without sin". While we know that we are broken people, living in this broken world, we can learn to be intentional with the way we speak about ourselves and those around us. We can strive to set ourselves and one another free from the unnecessary sin of thoughtless, or intentionally harmful words. This is our call as human beings and followers of Christ, who was the Word made flesh.
