Once Spoken...

Scripture:
Proverbs 15:1-7

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.”  How many times have we heard that saying in our lives?  If it were only true, sure there is no physical damage done.  The emotional damage can last a life time.  All of us have emotional scars where somebody has said something that hurt us deep inside.  Another saying is that the “pen is mightier than the sword.”  If you hit somebody you will see a bruise.  If you verbally hurt someone you may never see the damage that was done.

God tells us to be careful of what we say.  We must continuously guard our tongues.  We have the power within us to help someone heal just by the words we speak.  It is important to watch what you say and who you say it to.  Those healing words can just as easily turn into daggers that tear into people’s emotions.  An email went around one time, in it a man was told to go to the highest tower in a village.  Then he was to tear open a feather pillow allowing all the feathers to scatter in the wind.  Once the man returned he was then instructed to go fetch every single feather and place them back into the pillow.  Next time you are inclined to speak out rashly or harshly at or about someone remember the feathers scattered in the wind from the pillow.  Once the words are spoken they can never be taken back, they can never be unspoken.  At that point all we can do is ask for forgiveness.  Wouldn’t it be better to not have to ask for forgiveness…