The Bible offers a few insights about words:
"Death and life are in the power of the tongue and those who love it will eat of its fruits." (Proverbs 12:18)
"A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit" (Provers 18:21)
I have known people who will argue with you in their words and continue to do so until they find that one thing to deal the final blow to hurt you. I offer say they keep pressing the button until they find the one that hurts you the most.
Sometimes we bruise easily from words. I know I do. As hard as I have tried, words have impacted me. I try to have a thick skin but sometimes there is not enough thickness to overcome a hurtful word. Growing up I had very low self-esteem which wasn’t helped by the fact that my father would often call me an “idiot” or other hurtful names when he was frustrated with me. Those words are hard to overcome - even as an adult. Words can leave a lasting mark on you. Those words are ones I continue to have to overcome in my life. Be very careful what names you call your children - even in a playful manner. Sometimes some words stick and make you question yourself.
So many people are angry today and quick to become a "Karen" or "Ken" when things don't go their way. There are new videos which go viral every day to document their hurtful words. It is easier today to be mean to people with the anonymity of posting comments online. This is the reason I have disabled the option for anyone to comment to my blog posts. I just don’t want to open myself up to how mean people can be.
Why can’t we think before we speak anymore? it’s not okay just to speak your mind. I don’t care if that’s “who you are”. It doesn’t give you the freedom to hurt someone. Do we have any idea how much good a good word to someone could do? People who work in customer service get verbal abuse daily from people who think it’s okay to say hurtful things to people who are trying to work and make a living. A kind word can do a lot of good to overcome the nasty things that are said.
Yes, there are times when we need to speak up but all of us - including this writer - should make a better effort to say kind things instead of giving into the negativity of today’s world.
If words left physical bruises we could see, we would be surrounded by abused people. It isn’t true that sticks and stones will break our bones, but words will never hurt us. Words DO hurt us. Even the way we say something also is just as bad as the words that come out of our mouths. A snappy response or bad attitude con sometimes make the impact of words even more painful.
Words are extremely powerful tools that we can use to uplift our spirit and improve our lives, though we’re often not conscious of the words we speak, read, and expose ourselves to. Yes, even the words of others can easily affect our personal energy. Spend a few minutes with a chronic complainer who uses all sorts of negative terms, and you’ll feel your personal energy bottom out. Words have great power, so choose them (and your friends) wisely!
Just that a minute and think of the power we wield and the impact we can make if we become more intentional about encouraging each other. The right words make all the difference.
