“Sticks and stones might break my bones but names can never harm me,” sing the children, and it’s lies. As you read that, maybe you remember a time when words were spoken, even in jest, and you felt that they were aimed at you like arrows, piercing your tender heart before the sentence was complete. Maybe one word was hurled at you like the stone that hit Goliath on the forehead and you have recovered, but you can easily recall the reeling effects of the knock and, perhaps, you aren’t quite over it, after all. Could it be that the words were harmless in and of themselves, but they were delivered with tone that sent venom into your sweet blood.
Proverbs 12 v 18 “The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”
Words harm, but they also heal.
Our tongue is a weapon and if we are reckless with it we will wound, damage and destroy. If we wield word swords wisely, however, we can usher in healing and peace where casualties of the spoken war lie defeated, shamed and hurt.
Proverbs 15 v 23 “A word fitly spoken and in due season is like apples of gold in settings of silver.”
Let us be slow to speak and let us measure our words. Let us be the last to inflict pain and the first to create silver bowlfuls of golden apples where starving souls are in need of nourishment. Let us ask for forgiveness if we have let careless words fly. Finally, let us forgive the ones who didn’t realise the harm they would do when they drew their swords and thought they were just opening their mouths.
Words
Boys flying kites haul in their white winged birds,
You can’t do that when you’re flying words.
Careful with fire is good advice, we know;
Careful with words is ten times doubly so.
Thoughts unexpressed sometimes fall back dead,
But God himself can’t kill them once they’re said.
(Author Unknown)
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