Proverbs 18:21 (NIV)
21 The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
Do you remember the nursery rhyme “Sticks and stones can break your bones but words will never hurt you.” I am living proof that is just not so! Old wounds die hard. It all depends on from whom the negative words come. When it is your family that is critical, it hurts beyond anything a stick or stone could do.
We saw the movie “I Can Only Imagine” today. It is based on the story of Bart Millard’s life with an abusive father. His father was both physically and verbally abusive. He told Bart to forget his dreams. I maintain that physical abuse does less damage than emotional abuse. The damage heals in less time than verbal abuse. A broken bone will heal in a few months. Emotional wounds may never heal. What things have people said to you? What have they done to you? Are you going to let your past determine your future? Rather than listening to the negative things the world tells you, listen to Jesus and what He says about you! You are fearfully and wonderfully made in His image and likeness.
What about what you say to others? Be kinder than necessary! Kindness turns away anger. I went through a course called Every Man a Warrior. One of the topics is fatherhood. There are three pillars of being a father. The third is “The words you speak to a child will determine his or her destiny.” What words are you speaking to your children? To your co-workers? To your spouse? Are they words of affirmation? Do you tell them they can do anything? Do you encourage them?
What about dreams? Are they a waste of time like Bart’s father said? Do you know what the greatest nation in the world is? It is the imagination. Nothing ever worthwhile was ever accomplished without someone conceiving it in their mind. More likely, the Spirit inspired ideas. God will give you the desires of your heart. He feeds me things through my subconscious mind. If you can dream it, you can do it with His help. So keep dreaming. Now you know where the dreams are from.
Father, thank you that you always work all things for our good. Help us find the good is the tough situations. Help us to heal from our wounds. Moreover, help us to use what we go through to give us empathy which will allow us to ease the suffering of others. No pain is wasted when You are in the middle. Please remain in the middle and work through us to love others as we love ourselves. In Jesus name we pray.