Late in the afternoon of a chilly day in February, two gentlemen were sitting alone…

So begins Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin.

Confession—I’ve never read it. I share this, not because I’m ashamed but, rather, surprised. After all, as the mother of a brown-skinned boy in a very white world, one might imagine I’d have found this book insightful.

Furthermore, we homeschooled him and his younger brother, introducing them to many of the formative stories in American literature. All the while, this particular classic remained on our bookshelf, where it had been placed after opening it on Christmas, a gift from my mom in 2006.

Recently, however, I did crack its cover, having pulled that book out, dusting it off. My curiosity was perked after reading a biography of its author. A small portion of Stowe’s story was tucked among the pages of my women’s study Bible.

It was a Sunday morning. As I sat on our front porch, I randomly opened to Micah and read. Flipping a page, there was this woman of faith’s bio, not far from these words—

But as for me, I am filled with power—with the Spirit of the Lord. I am filled with justice and strength to boldly declare [a nation’s] sin and rebellion (3:8 NLT).

One thing I learned as I read Harriet Beecher Stowe’s biography was that, as recent as 2018, Uncle Tom’s Cabin was named the second most influential story in the shaping of our world’s history.

Let that sink in. Not our nation—our world!

But something else struck—

Harriet believed the adage about the pen being mightier than the sword (Courage for Life Study Bible for Women, Tyndale House Publishers, 2023—p. 1155.)

And that’s why I pulled Stowe’s book off the shelf, finally cracking its cover. If its author believed the written word to be a powerful weapon, if others deemed Uncle Tom’s Cabin influential enough to shape—yes, change!—the world, then I’d do well to read it too.

As Christians, no matter one’s vocation, we’re called to share God’s messages in troubling, dark times—equipped with power and filled with God’s Spirit. Thus, we’re armed not only with a Sword (Ephesians 6:17) but with the weapon of our words, both spoken and written.

But what to speak? What to write?

When asked a similar question concerning her intended message in Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe gave God credit. She stated that the inspiration for her novel derived in part from what He’d allowed in her life—that which she believed would be divinely used to bring moral change.

Though not African, nor a slave, she suffered the loss of her eighteen-month-old son to cholera. This, as well as witnessing African mothers separated from their children at slave markets, stirred empathy, causing her to press in to the heart of her Savior. To hear from Him. Be filled by Him. And then, to write for Him, even though her words often stirred controversy.

So is true for us. Whether our words weave themselves into good conversation over coffee with a friend, are spoken from a pulpit or to a classroom full of eager students, or are bound in books or scrolled through online, our personal experiences—guided by the gracious hand of our Father—are powerful weapons.

But the question remains—Are we courageous enough…

  • To speak them?
  • To write them?
  • To face ridicule by those who disagree?
  • To be disliked, rejected even, because our Spirit-inspired messages convict?

My mom wrote an inscription on the inside cover of the book she gave me for Christmas almost two decades ago. Under the title, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, she penned—

“…has become a story for your family too.”

And therein lies truth regarding the potential influence of our spoken and written words. Because personal story, framed first by the greatest Story—the Bible—is a weapon.

With our Sword in one hand and a willing mouth well-prepared to speak or a hand grasping a readied writing instrument, we can get started.

Yes, our words can change the world!

Father, fill us to overflowing with Your words–those messages You desire to have spilled out onto a hungry, thirsty, truth-deprived world. May we be Your conduits, willing to speak and write Your words, no matter what! May we only long to please You, and may we be courageous enough to share, even when what we say or write is met with ridicule, rejection, and scorn. Please, dear Jesus, begin with me. May it be so!

To Ponder:

Is God calling you to speak or write a particular message that you’re still afraid to share?

What is it you fear?

What impact do you think this message may have in our dark world?

Remember: If God calls you, He’ll fully equip you. And He’ll always, always be with you. Perhaps commit to memory a passage of scripture that helps you feel brave. It’s your Sword of the Spirit, your weapon in the battle. You never fight alone!