Sticks and Stones...

July 31, 2009

Danielle Joyner Kelley

“What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean.' " Matthew 15:11.

Parents teach children at a young age not to let words affect them. “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me” is a famous phrase that is taught at a young age. Teaching children not to let words affect them is a great idea; however, the reverse can also happen. The reverse is that they will believe their own words are unimportant and cannot hurt anyone else, including themselves.

God has shown us from the beginning that words are extremely important and powerful. “The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.” Proverbs 15:4. In the very beginning of the Bible, in Genesis, we are told that God said "Let there be..." for example, "light", and "there was light". Genesis 1:3. He spoke the universe into existence. The Bible does not tell us that God formed a million molecules and atoms in those precise words, rather it tells us that He said "Let there be..." and then it was.

The tongue holds a lot of power, and the words that roll off of it so easily do not just affect others, they affect the person speaking as well. "The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit." Proverbs 18:21.

What you allow yourself to say comes directly back on you. Whether your words are negative or positive, once you utter them you speak them into existence. When you state the negative about yourself you are condemning yourself. The satisfaction that comes from saying “I told you that would happen to me, it always does” in the negative is short lived. The event may not have happened if you had not “told” anyone that something bad was going to happen to you.

Speaking negatively about others may or may not affect them, but you have a greater motive not to utter such words. Each word you speak you will answer for. “But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned." Matthew 12:36-37. One day you will see how each word you spoke caused a ripple effect that spread to others. In this world, negativity can be contagious.

When you believe the action of throwing sticks and stones is worse than speaking words, you are forgetting a huge point. Your words often steer the actions taken by yourself and others. "When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark." James 3:3-5. That small rudder, the tongue, that we believe cannot hurt ourselves or others, is capable of steering a ship.

As for existence, remember what you speak into it inevitably becomes your own.