I was reading a book and not surprisingly, I learned many people who committed suicide or developed an eating disorder, was strongly affected by something someone said. An example that comes to mind is a documentary i watched on a girl who got bullied. One day the bully said "I'm going to kill you". It was an empty threat, but the girl took it seriously and decided she'd rather kill herself than be killed by a perpetrator. The girl took her own life. But we don't even have to say "I'm going to kill you", for someone to be so hurt that it could be a straw that broke the camel's back. As I struggled not to relapse into an eating disorder one day, a random guy in the hall came up to me one day and started saying stuff to his buddies. He laughed and said "Look at that chick....she looks stupid AND ugly". Now, I can't say that they were responsible for my relapse, because in the end it was my choice. But i am willing to admit that, it was very hurtful and they probably didn't even know to what degree it was hurtful. And i know i've been on the other end of it too before. :( Not only do words affect and ends lives now, but they have stopped people from coming to Christ, which affects eternal life. Someone i know, had a friend who converted into Christianity. When the friend converted into Christianity , the friend said "God loves me and he doesn't love you because you're not good enough to be saved.". The person i know was so hurt by that, and not only did a friendship end, but years later the friends still has scars upon hearing anything to do with God. I cannot say whether the person would have became a Christian, and maybe God will work a miracle and the person will come to Christ. What I do know, is that, because of something hurtful one person said, the person wants nothing to do with Christians....because the words lead to a misinterpretation of truth. But it should be noted that is not the only spiritual lie we can tell...... I have seen other people say "If you're Christians and you can gossip and spread rumours about that girl over there, i want nothing to do with you or your faith....". We don't have to say something opposite to what's in the Bible, sometimes not speaking and standing up for someone, or speaking rude words, can be just as much of a lie to what the gospel says and just as hurtful. It can do damage eternally....no sticks and stones i know can do that!!
So we see that words are very hurtful.
proverbs 18:21 confirms what we have just said. It says " Death and life are in the power of the tongue...". Suddenly sticks and stones simply breaking bones, seems less harmful than
Okay, so we've established that it's important to use our tongues wisely....but what shall we say then???
“A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, but the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness.” (Proverbs 15:1)
“There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, but the tongue of the wise promotes health. The truthful lip shall be established forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment.” (Proverbs 12:18)
So we should be truthful and we should be loving. :) and from these verses we learn that words can be good.
But how are we to achieve this??
Jesus said, “What goes into a man’s mouth does not make him ‘unclean,’ but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him ‘unclean…But things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man ‘unclean’” (Matthew 15:11,18 NIV). Our words come from our hearts. we need a heart change in order to achieve a tounge that helps promote health and healing. How do we get a heart change??? Look to Jesus and the gospel and what Jesus said. That has the ability to humble and help any of us!
