Sticks and Stones..

Ya’ll, I’m sorry that I’ve been MIA for weeks!  Yikes.  Here comes some self disclosure—I’m a grad student and since the semester has started, I have been super busy. But enough lollygagging, onward!

I want to share something that God has put on my heart lately. But first I want to remind everyone of a certain phrase that I’m sure everyone is familiar with. “Sticks and stones may break my bones [I’m pretty sure you just completed the rest of that phrase in your head] but words will never hurt me.”  I’ve been thinking a lot about this statement. My stance has always been, and always will be, that words have extraordinary power. Think about it. I love to read and many times I find myself lost in the world created by the very words on the page. There is something magical about words that give them the power to transport people to an entirely different realm.

Words have the ability to transport you places. They also have the ability to build up or tear down. It is very heavy- heartedly that I say that most of the time we use words to tear down. Sometimes we do it unintentionally. And worse, sometimes we do it intentionally. Now, remember that phrase? How true does it ring to you now?

 I believe that statement is false.

Because I have experienced the pain that words can cause. I have seen the pain and damage that words can inflict. Once something is said, you can never unsay it. I want you to think of the last time someone said something to you and it completely tore you apart. Did it hurt? Did you feel less pain than you would have felt if a stone have been thrown at you? No. Because pain is pain regardless of the way it is inflicted.

BUT [there’s always a ‘but’] here is the flip side of that. WE have power over our words! What?! Let me say that again, WE have power over our words! We have the ability to choose words that will build up! Let’s choose to be someone who is positive with their words. Let’s choose encouragement over criticism. We are all in this together, how much lovelier would it be to be surrounded by people who encourage and build up? Take the first step! Make the decision to speak blessings over people, not curses.  Ephesians 4:29 says “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” God placed this verse on my heart and it really convicted me. I was using my words to tear people down, even though they did not hear me, it was still damaging the way other people perceived them. I had to choose to be positive!  As daughter of The King, I am called to a higher standard. I had to stop using words to break people down. And let me tell you, it is hard! It is a challenge and I struggle with it every day but through Christ, I can do anything [Philippians 4:13].

 

I want to invite you to take this journey with me! But most importantly I want you to take this journey to help strengthen your walk with God.  Take the challenge and begin to encourage people. I can tell you that it is very rewarding when you let Christ use you to encourage others. Next time you want to make a sarcastic comment or you want to let a word slip off of your tongue; remember the power you have to hurt others. Remember how it felt to be hurt by words.

“Words are not words, they are airplanes, they take us places.” Let’s go to pretty places. Not places filled with poison and chaos.

Now, go enjoy your world. Love everyone, including yourself.

Don't forget to encourage others. One kind word can change someone's life.

xoxo,

SJ