I’m not even sure myself.
The phrase first appeared in a love song I wrote in late Spring 2009. I claimed that
“Love is a heavy word used in light ways by many who do not realize how they’ve misapplied a dangerous phrase—‘I love you.'”
(Many who use the word “love” to describe their feelings toward one another do not realize what a commitment they have made to living out the full implications of such a heavy word.) So it seems that, strictly according to a song I once wrote, a heavy word is a word with great implications for the behavior of the person who speaks it.
A heavy word is informed.
Perhaps we should think of it this way: I am a third-year undergrad at Bryan College studying theology & philosophy with a minor in psychology. I’m also a musician (11 years of guitar, 2 of ukulele and I plunk around on the piano occasionally) with an amateur-but-decent understanding of music theory and history and a healthy appreciation for folk (and folk-influenced rock) music from the revival to the present.
Ask for my opinion in any of those areas (to review: theology [the definition of which we will expand to include the church as a whole], philosophy, psychology, music [especially contemporary folk]), and my response might constitute a heavy word. As a result, almost everything I write is likely to fall at some level into one of those four categories.
If, on the other hand, you ask for my opinion on molecular biology, my response will undoubtedly not be a heavy word. Enough said.
A heavy word is an opinion.
“But every word is an opinion!” Yes, and that’s the point. Regardless of how informed a person may be, everything he says is still an opinion (and before you say it: yes, this is my opinion). As Rob Bell put it on the back cover of Velvet Elvis,
“God has spoken, and the rest is commentary, right?”
I especially like that “right?” at the end; it illustrates his point, which is also mine.
A heavy word is humble.
By which I also mean, “forget pretension.” I’ll try to do the same. Please keep me accountable.
A heavy word is a lot of things.
I’m sure I haven’t exhausted the potential list. Help?
A Heavy Word 