WORDS

” Sticks and stones my break my bones but words will never hurt me”

I asked my Sunday school class of 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders this question just this past Sunday and pretty much all of them agreed with this statement. All but one little boy. He is in the 5th grade this year. This little boy said that “when people make fun of my clothes it hurts my feelings.”

Have you ever been hurt by something someone said?

I asked one little girl (I believe in the 4th grade) why she believe this statement was true and her response was “because I don’t listen to what others says about me. I don’t care what they think.”How many of us say this on a daily bases? I know I do but deep down I still feel the sting of the words from others.

As I explained to my class “words are very powerful” I referred to the beginning of time.

Genesis 1:3 And God said “Let there be light” and there was light. (NIV)

Talking about POWERFUL, God spoke and there was. So if God spoke just 4 little words and created something out of nothing than what can our words do?

After all in Matthew 17:21 Jesus tell us ..”if you have the faith of a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, Move from here to there and it will move…” (NIV) So again I ask what can our words do to others.

I remember one time Joey (my hubby) said something to me and it made me feel as if I were an inch tall, frozen and then smashed with a hammer. Without meaning to he said something to me that shook me to the core but the crazy thing is he didn’t even realize he did anything wrong. A few day later we talked about what was said and he then apologized to me. Please let me reassure you he is an amazing husband and he too has been on the receiving end of some very powerful yet hurtful words.

As I was researching more I came across John 19:30 This is when Jesus had already been nailed to the cross for all our sins. The words “It is Finished” is written here.

I begin to think “There are no words more powerful than these 3 words right here.” I mean these 3 words is what changes all our lives. In these 3 words we find freedom in Jesus. Freedom from all our sin, from everything we have and will ever do wrong. Jesus had all that weight on his shoulder. With these 3 little words that we take for granted each and everyday, Jesus said the phrase that changes all of man kind for the rest of eternity.

Now if words are not powerful I don’t know what is.

So, with all this heaviness I want to send some encouragement your way.

For those of us who may be the one who is on the giving side please remember this:

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.” Philippians 2:3

Before you speak please think of how your words will effect other, you may never know until its too late.

And for those of us who are on the receiving end more than we want to be just remember:

“A mans wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to over look an offense.” Proverbs 19:11

It is to our glory that we do not receive anything other says to us as an offense. While it is to our glory, it is more to the glory of God. We need to show the love of Christ to others by showing them that we will not take offense nor will we react the way the world expect us to.

Jesus, I pray that with your words I may hold my tongue. Please help me say nothing that is disgraceful to you. Help me to uplift and encourage other to the best of be ability. In Jesus name Amen.