This piece was inspired by mean people. Do you remember the saying as a kid growing up, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me."? As kids we had no comprehension of what we were saying and the consequences of our words. Nowadays, too often people have been in life-long torment because of things said to them, even if it happened years ago in their youth.
It's easy to heel from a broken bone. Put a cast on it and in a few months, you'll be better than ever. But if you have ever had parents, siblings, cousins, teachers, friends, foes, or strangers say something negatively to you, I'd be willing to bet that the damage from their words may still cause pain within you. In reality, the saying should go, "Sticks and stones may break some bones, but words can kill forever."
The Bible talks about the tongue as a double-edged sword in numerous passages. In one of those, it talks about the word of God being alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, judging the thoughts and attitudes of the heart (paraphrased from Hebrews 4:12). Unfortunately, we often misuse the power of our tongue. Sometimes our intentions can even be good, but the words we say or the way we say them can be damaging, bit by bit.
This subject could easily be extended into a lecture and discussion, but to keep it short and sweet: We should truly think about what we say before we say it. On a daily basis, I could benefit by choosing my words more carefully. I know I need to be more genuine with everyone I encounter, friend or foe. Let's better ourselves to build people up, not tear people down. After all, we should love our neighbor as ourself. Duh.
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