WORDS THAT WOUND

There is an interesting passage in the Book of Proverbs which speaks about the power of words.

“Telling lies about others is as harmful as hitting them with an ax, wounding them with a sword, or shooting them with a sharp arrow.” (Prov. 25:18)

The only difference is when you wound someone with your words, they only die inside, and go right on living with the wound. Jesus said, “My words are spirit and they are life.” Words can also be spirit and…death.”

Scripture has plenty to say about the way in which words are capable of wounding family, friends and even strangers.

In Proverbs 15:1 we read,

“A soft answer reduces the likelihood of anger, but words which wound contribute to it.”

In the New Testament Book of James, we are cautioned,

“If any man is convinced that he is a believer, but he cannot manage his own words, his faith is absolutely worthless.” (James 1:26)

As a counselor, I have dealt with the after effects of words among thousands of men, women and children. (And I can tell you it ain’t pretty)! There are those among us who have been severely wounded by the words of parents, relatives, friends and acquaintances, and they have never risen above the words. Words can become a self-fulfilling prophecy, even words we say about ourselves.

I remember seeing a photo of a duck with an arrow in its side. And to be sure the duck was still alive. Thankfully, the agenda of the person who discovered the bird was better than the one who wounded it, and the arrow was safely removed.

Words are a lot like that.

While I have been privileged to remove hundreds and hundreds of those verbal arrows, it would have been better if they had been kept in their quivers.

by William McDonald, PhD. Copyright pending

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