Send to Kindleby: Staci Stallings
And now, back to the real life blog…
Have you ever noticed that people use the rhyme we’ve been talking about “sticks and stones may break your bones, but words will never hurt you” as an excuse?
You know what I mean. They say really hurtful, cruel things and then say something like, “I was just teasing” or “It’s not like I hit you or anything.”
What I want to talk about today is YOUR WORDS. How do you use words?
When you’re angry…
When you’re sad…
When you’re frustrated…
When you’re afraid…
When you get stressed for whatever reason, what do your words sound like?
I think this is one of my biggest weaknesses. Stress does bad things to my words. It makes them harsh and biting. It makes me feel justified in cutting others down. It tells me I’m just letting off steam and it’s better than screaming at someone.
But is it?
Are they really just words?
I remember one time, I was under particular stress and my son was not doing whatever it was fast enough. I said something that was harsh to him. Immediately, his little face fell and I could see that I had hurt him deeply.
Later, after things had calmed down a bit, he said to me, “Mom, I don’t like it when you say it like that.” Notice he didn’t say “say things like that.” The actual words weren’t that bad. It was how I chose to say them that was the problem. And make no mistake, I chose to say them that way. I chose to hurt him because I was hurting.
Ever done that?
Ever snapped at someone because you were mad, frustrated or “just venting”?
You may con yourself into thinking that those are “just words,” that it really doesn’t matter and he or she will get over it.
But understand itis a con. It’s a lie.
Your words and how you choose to use them build the structure of your character, and your character is who you really are.
So who are you? What do your words say about who you are?
They are telling people who you are. They are not “just words.”
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First lesson of the power of your words — they aren’t JUST WORDS. http://t.co/uBRAqEHhlo #encourage #parents #hope
— Staci Stallings (@StaciStallings) December 6, 2013
I love what you wrote regarding our words and the impact they have. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I’ve read several of your books recently and you’ve shared many of life’s lessons in such a way that one can easily see that when our God is in control and we’re trusting Him, He tempers our language as well as our actions. Your wonderful books teach very valuable lessons we all need to hear. For some, it will be a first time awareness, but for others of us who have been “walking the walk”, they’ve served as a sweet reminder that God’s presence is constant. In Him, our relationships will be filled with blessings.