Friday, February 3, 2012

I Didn’t Mean to Say That!

by Aleta Kay

         You’ve been arguing and saying mean, hateful, hurtful things to each other. You make up and apologize. You say, “I didn’t mean to say those things.” You’re lying to yourself. We say mean things because we want to hurt back as we’ve been hurt. We know from our own experience that words hurt worse than blows. Physical wounds heal but the scars created by harsh, cruel words can last a lifetime and turn us into emotional cripples. We know this and use our words as weapons anyway.
          The Bible tells us in Matthew 12:34, “O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” Luke 6:45 says, “A good man out of the treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for out of the abundance of his heart his mouth speaketh.”
          God used words to speak everything into existence. Mark 11:23 says that if we have faith and not doubt we can tell a mountain to move and be cast into the sea and it will be done. We use our words far too lightly. We don’t consider the power they have. Words can build someone up and make their spirits soar, or they can cut through the soul like a machete.
          Do we have a right to be so careless with our words? Do we have the right to destroy a soul that God himself created? How dare we destroy a soul so precious in God’s sight? We don’t want to hear preaching about hell but not hearing it will not erase its existence or its torment. Hell is the final destination for anyone who chooses to ignore God and His love and compassion for the souls He has created.
          Also, our own actions, our own words condemn us and destroy the relationships we claim to value so highly.
          Psalm 34: 12, 13 says, “Let him who means to love life, and see good days, refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking guile: and let him turn away from evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and pursue it.” You CAN take the time to think before you speak, to consider your words and their impact. Be a builder, not a destroyer. When you build people you strengthen them and your relationship. Just make sure you are sincere when you do. My mama always told me “if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything.”

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