Sticks & Stones May Break My Bones

But Names Can Never Hurt Me!

WRONG! This is one of the many lies that have been told to our children at a very young age.

James 3:10 And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! (*NLT)

Words can be really painful or they can be uplifting. Take a group of children picking on one child with painful words. The hurt the child experiences can stay with that child forever.

Most of us, at one time or another have experienced the impact of negative words on our lives. Even a person that seems to brush it off on the surface, feels the impact deep down inside. On the other hand, we also know how good it feels when someone complements us and says something positive or uplifting.

So if we know how it feels to be the recipient of negative words, then why do we say negative things to or about others?

Words are powerful! God spoke the Universe and even the earth into existence with words. Jesus spoke to a fig tree and cursed it so that it would never produce fruit again. (Mark 11:13-14)

Be careful about what you speak out of your mouth, even about yourself!

So where do our words come from?

Our words stem from deep within, from our heart. (Luke:7-45) The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.

Thinking vs Speaking

When thoughts come into your mind nothing happens until you take some form of action on those thoughts. You can immediately cast them down, dwell on them, or take an action on them. CAUTION: Speaking thoughts into words will cause a negative or positive result. Thinking that a person is an idiot and telling them are two different things. I am certain the results of telling someone that they are an idiot will not be a positive one.

Casting down bad thoughts.

Philippians 4:8 tells us that we should think about whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent - think about
such things.

What to do when someone speaks a negative word to you.

You have two choices. You can lash back and allow the hurt to imbed deep inside and take away all your joy and peace, or you can forgive. Forgiveness will bring you total release from the pain. Truly forgiving allows you to move forward casting that pain out of your life. If you dwell on those words, they will stir up anger which will cause you to lash out seeking revenge. But most importantly it will cause you more pain and hurt, sleepless nights and a total disruption to your daily life.

Pray for them.

Prayer is powerful and praying for your enemies is a sign of maturity. Don’t ever underestimate the power of prayer. Prayer causes God into action and I believe that God answers every prayer. Sometimes it's a yes and sometimes it's no. I have heard of people that prayed for something, waited and didn’t get what they prayed for. Then they said that “God didn’t hear my prayer,” when in fact God did hear their prayer, and the answer was no.

Words really are powerful!

Remember God spoke the Universe into existence with His words. Genesis 1:3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. By speaking the words, light was created. How powerful is our God, a God that can simply speak things into existence.

Since we are all created in the image of God, (Genesis 1:27) our words also have the power to cause things to action. We can cause hurt or we can cause healing. We can uplift or we can destroy. We can also create friends or we can create enemies with our words. The choice is ours in the way we use our words.

If you don’t have something good to say, don’t say anything at all! I’m certain that you have heard this expression before. Words begin as thoughts and if we have a thought that is obviously degrading then we should downcast it and never allow it to leave our lips.

Forgiveness comes through understanding.

People are influenced by what they see, hear and learn. And it begins right in the home. If a child is allowed to watch whatever they want on T. V., allowed to listen to whatever they want in music and play video games that kill, maim and destroy, chances are they will take on a very evil disposition. I have heard parents say that their child will grow out of it and its only a phase they are going through, when in fact they are growing into it.

Today’s world has become a very difficult place to raise a child. Even in homes where children are not allowed to do any of the above, the influence on the child outside of the home can be devastating. Children come in contact with other children that will do everything they can to pull your child into there circle of destruction.

Did you ever stop and think about the time your child actually spends away from you every day. They get approximately 8 hours of the day at school, another 1 to 2 hours playing after school, leaving you with only about 1 hour a day for a meal, tucking them into bed and spending the quality time with them that they need. Most working parents are tired when they get home and shuffle there children off to do other things so they can relax and get ready for tomorrow.

Your child is in the hands of a stranger for 8 hours a day. How well do you know the teacher that is spending all this time with your child? I would venture to say that most parents don’t really know the teacher teaching there child. They don’t know what moral values the teacher has, or if the teacher even likes what they are doing. Pretty scary isn't it? It should be, since your child is being influenced each and every day by them.

So how do you find out who your child’s teacher really is, you just ask them! Parents night at school can be the place to ask them. In addition to listening about how your child is doing, ask them if they believe in God. If they say yes, ask them which god? If they say Buddha you have cause for alarm. If you agree that Buddha is the right answer then you have cause for alarm since your salvation is now at stake.

I am not saying that all teachers are bad. I am saying that you need to know who is teaching your child. You also need to know who your child is hanging out with. Who are your child’s friends? Who are your child’s friends parents? The bottom line here is you need to know everyone that your child is coming in contact with.

So what does this have to do with forgiveness?

By understanding the influences that cause people to be who they are, it is easier to forgive them. Knowing that they were brought up with all these negative things, causes them to act the way they do. Having a clear understanding that you are dealing with something that is out of your control allows you to give it to God through forgiveness and let Him deal with it.

Do something nice.

I have seen situations where people have suffered abuse at the hands of another and then send the offender a gift. A gift or an act of kindness can really turn a bad situation into something beautiful. When someone lashes out at you the last thing they expect from you is something nice. Something nice can turn an enemy into a friend. Something nice can diffuse a tense situation and save lives. It takes a great act of courage to turn revenge to healing by turning the other cheek and doing something nice.

So what if doing something nice doesn’t change anything?

Then leave the rest to God. Accept your healing and cast away your hurt through your forgiveness and move on. God will take care of it, if you let Him. Walk away and trust in the Lord! Don’t come back two days later after you’ve thought about it and try something different.

Pray for them.

Prayer is powerful and praying for your enemies is a sign of maturity. Don’t ever underestimate the power of prayer. Prayer causes God into action and I believe that God answers every prayer. Sometimes it's a yes and sometimes it's no. I have heard of people that prayed for something, waited and didn’t get what they prayed for. Then they said that “God didn’t hear my prayer,” when in fact God did hear their prayer, and the answer was no.

Words really are powerful!

Remember God spoke the Universe into existence with His words. Genesis 1:3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. By speaking the words, light was created. How powerful is our God, a God that can simply speak things into existence.

Since we are all created in the image of God, (Genesis 1:27) our words also have the power to cause things to action. We can cause hurt or we can cause healing. We can uplift or we can destroy. We can also create friends or we can create enemies with our words. The choice is ours in the way we use our words.

If you don’t have something good to say, don’t say anything at all! I’m certain that you have heard this expression before. Words begin as thoughts and if we have a thought that is obviously degrading then we should downcast it and never allow it to leave our lips

In closing, remember:

Words are very powerful, they can give life or death, so choose them with care!

Some interesting Bible verses from the Book of Proverbs

Proverbs 10:13 Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning, but a rod is for the back of him who lacks judgment.

Proverbs 10:19 When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.

Proverbs 10:32 The lips of the righteous know what is fitting, but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse.

Proverbs 11:25 A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.

Proverbs 12:14 From the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things as surely as the work of his hands rewards him.

Proverbs 12:18 Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of he wise brings healing.

Proverbs 12:19 Truthful lips endure forever, but the lying tongue lasts only a moment.

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