Wise and Healing Words

Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. – Proverbs 12:18 (NIV)

When have words hurt you? Do you remember who said them? When have words healed you? Do you remember who said them? When have you used reckless words? Did you want to hurt someone? When did you use your words wisely? Did it bring healing?

The following is from Rabbi Joseph Telushkin and can be found here: http://www.lukeford.net/Dennis/t4.html
Over the past decade, whenever I have lectured on the powerful, and often negative, impact of words, I have asked audiences if they can go for 24 hours without saying any unkind words about or to anybody. Invariably, a minority of listeners raise their hands signifying "yes"; some laugh; and quite a large number call out, "no!"
I respond by saying, "Those who can't answer ‘yes’ must recognize that you have a serious problem. If you cannot go for 24 hours without drinking liquor, you are addicted to alcohol. If you cannot go for 24 hours without smoking, you are addicted to nicotine. Similarly, if you can not go for 24 hours without saying unkind words about others, you have lost control of your tongue."

It is well worth our time to read the rest of the Rabbi’s article, but the point is made. Sometimes we say mean things without knowing it, we call it miscommunication, and maybe it is. Miscommunication is easy when we don’t take the time to consider a situation. Maybe that is why the proverb comments about the tongue of the wise. It is a wise person who takes the time to realize that miscommunication is possible and ensures that her words are healing no matter what, and what would the world look like if we could all control our tongues for 24 hours? Perhaps it is time to find out!

With hope and joy,
Garrett

A Devilish Tongue

We use our tongues to praise our Lord and Father, but then we curse people, whom God made like himself. Praises and curses come from the same mouth! My brothers and sisters, this should not happen. – James 3:9-10 (NCV)

How do you praise God with your tongue? How have you cursed other people with that same tongue? Why does James say this “should not happen”? How have you felt when you have been cursed? Why have you cursed others?

The following is from — Sam O’Neal, “Tasmanian Devils Spread Cancer with Their Mouths,” PreachingToday.com
In January 2006, Australian scientists discovered the cause of a mysterious disease that had killed thousands of Tasmanian devils on the island state of Tasmania, off the coast of Australia. The scientists initially believed the deaths were caused by a virus; however, their research ultimately uncovered a rare, fatal cancer. They named it Devil Facial Tumor Disease, or DFTD.
What is strange, according to cytogeneticist Anne-Marie Pearse, is that the abnormalities in the chromosomes of the cancer cells were the same in every tumor. That means the disease began in the mouth of a single sick devil. The ferocious little animal facilitated the spread of DFTD by biting its neighbors when squabbling for food, which, according to Pearse, is a natural behavior of Tasmanian devils. “Devils jaw--wrestle and bite each other a lot, usually in the face and around the mouth, and bits of tumor break off one devil and stick in the wounds of another,” Pearse said.
Over the course of several years, infected devils continued to inflict deadly wounds with their mouths. Consequently, DFTD spread at an alarming rate, ultimately wiping out over 40 percent of the devil population.
A similar fate threatens the church if its members persist in the devilish behavior of wounding their neighbors with their mouths.

Isaac could not take back the blessing he had been tricked into giving Jacob, a blessing that was reserved for Esau, because words cannot be taken back. Once they are uttered they are out, and they can cause deep and horrible anguish. Too often we have used words to cause pain. Those who proclaim Christ as Lord never should use words in such horrible ways! Instead we must use our tongues to proclaim the glory of God and to bless our neighbors with love. The cancer of hate will stop spreading the moment we decide to stop spreading it, today let us stop!

With hope and joy,
Garrett

What We Say

When you talk, do not say harmful things, but say what people need—words that will help others become stronger.  Then what you say will do good to those who listen to you. – Ephesians 4:29 (NCV)

 

How have you been hurt by what others have said?  What have you said in anger, depression or sadness that has hurt someone else?  Who has said words that have helped you become stronger?  What did they say, and why did you need to hear them?  How will you say things to make sure you will do good to those who listen to you?

 

The following story is called the Wise Sage and was e-mailed to me:

There once was a wise sage who wandered the countryside.  One day, as he passed near a village, he was approached by a woman who told him of a sick child nearby. She beseeched him to help this child. 

So the sage came to the village, and a crowd gathered around him, for such a man was a rare sight.

One woman brought the sick child to him, and he said a prayer over her.
 "Do you really think your prayer will help her, when medicine has failed?" yelled a man from the crowd.



"You know nothing of such things! You are a stupid fool!" said the sage to the man. 



The man became very angry with these words and his face grew hot and red. He was about to say something, or perhaps strike out, when the sage walked over to him and said: "If one word has such power as to make you so angry and hot, may not another have the power to heal?" 



And thus, the sage healed two people that day.

 

Words can heal people!  Words can also hurt people.  This Advent season prepare your hearts to accept the Word of God made flesh in Jesus the Christ again!  When you do everything you say will have Christ in it, and everything you say will heal others, will make others stronger, and will do good to all who listen to you!

With hope and joy,

Garrett