Sticks and Stones...

Sticks and Stones...

Unless you’ve been living on another planet you would no doubt have heard about, or watched “The Voice;” a phenomenon that has taken Australia by storm and has left its competitors floundering in its wake. The first thing that struck me when I watched The Voice was not the incredibly talented singers, but the words spoken by the judges; words of encouragement, affirmation, support and honesty; words intended to build up, not to tear down; constructive criticism meant to lift someone in order to bring out their best. I’ve heard many people remark that they are tired of hearing people being put down, ridiculed and mocked, all in the name of entertainment, and I suspect this is one reason for the shows success.

Anyway, it got me thinking, have you ever noticed that you can remember what someone has said, long after you’ve forgotten something they’ve done?

Words are powerful, and yet often we can release them into the atmosphere with little thought and even less care. How easy it is in the heat of an argument to pull out a sharp word and plunge it into someone else’s soul; how tempting to pass on a juicy bit of gossip rather than forget you ever heard it.

How many of us have been a victim of ill-chosen, careless words?

How many still smart from hurtful words spoken by a teacher or a parent? The old saying “sticks and stones will break my bones but names will never hurt me,” is rubbish; names hurt. Many years ago I encountered a young woman who was the victim of verbal abuse; she told me there were times when she wished her husband would just hit her, because physical pain was something she could tolerate.

Whilst opinions vary research has shown that we speak around 16,000 words per day.

That’s a lot of words and a lot of responsibility. I have to ask myself, how will I use my words? How are you going to use your words? Will you use them to build someone up or tear someone down? Will you use them to encourage people to reach their goals or will you use them to snatch away their dreams? The bible tells us that the power of life and death is in the words that we speak; now there’s a daunting thought. So this week as you journey through life be conscious of the power of your words; choose them wisely and use them wisely.

Kind words heal and help; cutting words wound and maim. Proverbs 15:4 (The Message)