The Strength of Words

 

Think carefully before you speak, words can be incredibly hurtful. While easily and oft times quickly spoken, the pain they can cause may last a life time. 

Do not lash out in anger, the words you say you may or may not mean, but once said can not be unsaid. I have done this as I'm sure most if not all have. An act, a comment, an event angers us to the point of expressing ourselves vocally, with intense emotions. We speak out without thinking first. We neglect to consider all sides and options. We take that first impression and run with it, exploding in anger and indignation. Without considering, we could be wrong.

 The comments you make may be intended for a joke, but the other person may not see it as such and be hurt by your words. It is important to know the individual and how they interpret words spoken to them. Your words could be all in good fun, or they could be malicious. Do you really want to be cruel? Do you really wish to inflict pain on another in the hopes of making yourself appear bigger, better, stronger, more popular? Is that what you would want someone to do to you?

 A white lie, a fib, a lie of omission is still a lie. Be truthful in your words, they may hurt, but a lie will hurt more doing more damage. Any level of untruth will cause a loss of trust. Trust once lost is hard if not impossible to regain.

Speak in kindness, speak with respect, speak with encouragement. Watch the reactions of those who are the recipient of your words and see how their day is made better. Even those who may originally scoff at you- walk away with a different insight.

The things we say, lasts. Whether it is kindness or cruelty, it remains in the memory of the one(s) who hear and echoes forever. The feelings those words cause, remains. Cruelty in any form, causes one to feel less while kindness encourages and builds another up. Personally, I would much rather my words be kind.

James 3:5-12. King James Version. 5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature;