Our Words Are Priceless and also Costly I have been pondering a couple old adages the last few days: “Words are cheap,” and, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never harm me.” These are both nothing but lies. Words are powerful. They are priceless as well as costly. With words, you can speak salvation into someones life, lift others up in love and speak words of hope. But at any time, words can also tear apart a life, sever relationships and shatter dreams. I love the way Sara Bareilles puts it in her song, “Brave,” when she sings, “You can be amazing. You can turn a phrase into a weapon or a drug.” That is the power of words. So often, though, words are thrown around carelessly and without acknowledging that there will be any repercussions for our carelessness. Sometimes people just lash out at others when they feel threatened or get angry. These words can be some of the most cutting and can settle into our very being if they are not acknowledged or forgiveness isn’t sought. If these words are never talked about, it is hard for healing to ever happen, or for broken trust to be restored. Pretending that nothing happened is not a good solution. If we live in an environment with people who do this as their standard mode of operation, we will become calloused to the true effect of negative words, or we will be wounded repeatedly. Words dont leave quickly, or ever, in some cases. I truly believe from my own experiences and some of the experiences I have seen that if harsh words are never acknowledged, there will be a wall, to some extent, toward the person who said them. Whether or not there is a conscious thought of those words, the feelings surrounding the words are there, especially when the person who stated them is present. Trust will not fully be established. This is a defense mechanism that many people use, and it can be crippling. Proverbs 12:18 says: “There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” Sword thrusts! That is a descriptive picture of the harm words can do. Being stabbed by a sword brings injury and even death, and always leaves scars. Those scars dont go away. But the verse also says that the tongue of the wise brings healing. Even if we say something that we should not have, we can seek Godly wisdom, go to the person to seek forgiveness and restitution, and hopefully bring healing to the person as well as to the relationship. I would hate to think that I wounded someone so deeply by a careless word. I want to lift others up and encourage with my words. I also pray that I will be discerning in what I say. Every person is worth so much more than a quick release of anger or defensive comeback. We honor others by our choice of words. “A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.” Proverbs 15:4 “Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.” Proverbs 17:9 --Joanna Lynn
Posted on: Wed, 10 Sep 2014 17:00:25 +0000