A Few Choice Words

CONFESSION:  
Good morning, my friend!  Good morning, Father!

“Careless words stab like a sword, but the words of wise people bring healing.” - Proverbs 12:18

We have all been crushed by harsh or careless words spoken to us.  We are told that if what is said is untrue, that it should be like “water off a duck’s back.” - that whatever is untrue should not penetrate us, but merely bead up and roll off.  If we aren’t prepared and our armor is not cinched tightly, those fiery barbs manage to get in and bore their way all the way down to our heart.  Those things that are said are often carried with us for decades and they can taint every relationship and even our future and hope.

Father, we choose to forgive.  But those who hurt us are not the only purveyors of wounding words.  We wound others with our words, too.

His name was Bruce.  He sat behind me in an office so small he could have pulled my ponytail as easily as grabbing for a paper clip.  We had a lighthearted friendship.  He was 25 years my senior and enjoyed teasing me as he would have a kid sister.  One day I shared with him something I was planning to do.  He thought that it was quite surprising, and he began to tease me about it.  After a week of what felt like endless ribbing and my asking nicely for it to stop, I had had enough.  He came at me with one more teasing statement and my retaliation for his verbal paper airplane assault was a comparative 62 metric ton tank.  

It was two short sentences so finely tuned that they hit their target and took him down at once.  The eye crinkles of his impish grin melted and his faced dropped.  Instantly I felt intense regret.  No sooner had the words left my lips than I wanted to reel them all back in like so many yards of fishing line.  I just wanted the teasing to stop, but I ended up crushing the spirit of a dear friend.  I apologized until I ran out of words.  For days I apologized, but the damage was done.  Thirty-five years later, I still regret it.  I have since forgiven myself, but I learned a priceless lesson.  Life and death are in the tongue. (Proverbs 18:21)  And I want to choose life.


Father, I lift my friend.  “The words of the godly are like sterling silver; the heart of a fool is worthless.” - Proverbs 10:20.  Help us to be wise, kind and careful with our words.  In moments of hurt and anger, help us to rein in our tongues before inflicting damage.  May our words be as lovely gifts, tied with a bow that we give to one another - words that encourage, bless, teach, exhort and comfort.  Teach us ways to confront that end in a win-win.  May we think carefully before we speak, respond instead of react and remember that whatever we have done unto “the least of these” we have said and done unto You.  In Jesus Name ❤️

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