Read Proverbs Chapter 12
Your Words Hurt Me!
Verse 18 says, “The words of the reckless pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”
When I was 10 or 11 years old, my oldest brother, Kevin, was playing a basketball game and needed two people to keep stats. One for his team and one for the opposing team. So he asked my twin brother, Blain, and I. I was keeping stats for the opposing team while Blain kept stats for Kevin’s team.
When I arrived, the teams split up into two different rooms to prepare for the game. I went over to the opposing team and said I would be keeping stats for them. I started into the room and the leader yelled at me to get out because he didn’t trust me. He said I was going to tell Kevin all their plays. Then he slammed the door in my face.
I was broken and sat in the hallway all by myself feeling devastated. My oldest brother Kevin must have heard the conversation because he stuck his head out of his room and with a very kind heart said, “Come hang out with us in our room. Things will be okay.”
I went from hearing reckless words that pierced my heart and broke me down, to hearing Kevin’s kind words that healed my broken heart and re-established my value and worth.
Are you quick to shout out words that hurt or heal? Think about that next time you are frustrated with your spouse, your children, your peers, a stranger, or even an enemy. When a person walks away from a conversation with you they should feel lifted up and valuable vs feeling torn down and degraded.
