Submitted by Cindy (Walker) Burton

Remember the old adage, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me?” It’s a lie. Words CAN hurt. Words can be weapons of destruction or wellsprings of goodness. Words can be devastating, or even fatal. Words can make or break a person. Words can cut like a knife or mend a life.

Although the tongue is small, the powerful words it utters can wield a big impact. The spoken word is much like an arrow sped from a bow or a missed opportunity: it cannot be retrieved. Proverbs 15:4 says, “Gentle words bring life and health; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.” It could be argued that words are sometimes lethal weapons. Do your words maim and destroy, or elevate and encourage? Do your words sow hate or harvest joy?

Think about the last time you said something and then immediately wished you hadn’t. Unfortunately, wishing doesn’t take it back or retrieve the act. How often have we been told to think before we speak? How often does the average person actually employ that sage advice? We’ve all put our foot in our mouth and let our loose lips sink ships (friendships, relationships).

It takes a conscious, concerted effort to listen first and speak second. Experience, maturity and learning from spoken mistakes can help us from repeating them. Thumper (the beloved bunny from Bambi) offered this recommendation: “If you can’t say somethin’ nice, don’t say nothin’ at all.”

Now excuse me while I remove my foot from my mouth.