What weapon, what tool?

Today's reading, from the first chapter of Jeremiah, records his commission from the Lord:

"See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant."

Jeremiah 1.10

Sounds pretty intense. What kind of weapons, what kind of tools or equipment did he give Jeremiah to accomplish all this? A Superman™ suit and X-ray vision? 29th century technology?

Nope. See what he says in verse 9: Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, "Now, I have put my words in your mouth."

I find this astonishing. I can hold in my hand the Holy Bible, sixty-six books. I have several of them in my house. And these are the words that have the power to uproot and tear down nations and kingdoms.

I've heard more than one sermon pointing out that God created light and land and life by speaking them into existence, and that we are made in his image. So the power of speech is a huge responsibility - it holds the possibility of great blessings, and it can cause a ton of trouble. It can uproot and tear down, it can destroy and overthow nations and kingdoms.

Or it can build and plant -- nations and kingdoms. Or a marriage, a friendship, a family.