Wisdom Speaks

There's an old saying that goes, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." 

This is a saying we've all heard before. It's taught to children to deflect mean comments, put-downs, and insults thrown their way by other children on the playground.  But as adults, we know that this phrase isn't true. Many of us can still hear the voice of a parent, boss, roommate, or co-worker who said hurtful words to us years ago. And as the tape continues to play in our head, the words hurt just as much as they did the first time we heard them.

Therefore, the phrase should say, "Sticks and stones may hurt my bones, but words can make or break me." 

Words are rarely neutral. They have incredible power. That's why we read in Proverbs, "The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit" (18:21). It's saying you can use your words in one of two ways. You can either tear people down or build them up. 

This means one indicator of a wise person is that they are measured with their words. They understand the power they carry in their tongue and use it for the sake of building someone up even when they have to give difficult feedback or speak direct words. 

In the same way that Jesus said, "the mouth speaks what the heart is full of" (Matt. 12:34), when wisdom is formed in us, it comes out as kind and gentle words. 

So, what would people say about how you use your words? Are they left encouraged or disheartened after speaking with you? What do your words say about your degree of wisdom? 

The tongue is a powerful instrument. The wise understand the magnitude of what they possess and wield it with great care.