Exchanging Words

Hi Girls,

I'm sure your parents told you not to call names right? Don't yell at someone and tell them their stupid (or something worse) when they cut you off in traffic? Get in an argument with someone and end up calling them an idiot? It happens, happens to the best of us. We just can't seem to keep insults from our language sometimes. But you know, our parents were right when they told us not to call names. And it's not just because it's a mean thing to do! It's because the words we use are powerful. Calling names, like idiot, dumb etc. are curses really, curses you're proclaiming over someone's life.

Matthew 5: 21-22 "You're familiar with the command to the ancients, 'Do not murder.' I'm telling you that anyone who is so much as angry with a brother or sister is guilty of murder. Carelessly call a brother 'idiot!' and you just might find yourself hauled into court. Thoughtlessly yell 'stupid!' at a sister and you are on the brink of hellfire. The simple moral fact is that words kill."


This is pretty intense eh? Be judged for calling someone and idiot and go to hell for calling someone stupid? This puts murder and words on the same level. You can kill someone with words just like with deeds. The saying 'sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me' is a lie. Honestly, who doesn't get hurt by being called names? Some people may have a thick skin so it won't bother them as much or they may just grow numb to it but that doesn't mean the words have no power.


Think about children for a moment to illustrate this. A child that is raised with positive reinforcement, words of encouragement, will grow up to be a more positive person with a good self image. A child who is constantly insulted, battered with words, made to think less of themselves, often becomes a bully, or closed up in themselves, or eventually even starts to hate themselves and think suicide. Words are powerful. Words can grow or kill. 


Sometimes we can't even see what the effect our words have. Words may not have an outward impact all the time but we can never fully understand the impact they have on the person's spirit. If someone is told that they are stupid over and over again, eventually, they may start to believe that lie and it can become part of who they are. It's diminishing their spirit, spreading lies about their God given talents. Saying someone is dumb is pronouncing that over their lives, cursing them to be less intelligent. And if someone is acting that way, wouldn't we rather have the person become more intelligent instead of less? Don't we want them to smarten up? So doesn't it make more sense to bless someone who is acting 'dumb' in our opinion by telling them honestly (without sarcasm) that they are talented, that God has lots of good things for them? Something to encourage them rather than break them down?


I think so. Although, it's often hard in the middle of a situation to say something positive without having it come off sarcastic or the person taking it wrong. Maybe it's sometimes easier to just say nothing at all but pray for them in our hearts. We don't want to incriminate ourselves by cursing someone else.


I also think that a lot of people don't understand how truly huge this is and how much power our words have. They just think so flippantly on the subject, as if it's really no big deal, won't make a difference but it does! God sees! The Bible warns us that we're in danger of hellfire by doing that! Honestly, how much more serious does it need to get? 


I believe that words have power over all living things. We can bless pets, even plants we grow. After all, God spoke the world into being so when we speak, there is power too since we are the daughters of God. So even speaking kind, blessing words over other living things will have positive results. Try it!


Let's repent and ask forgiveness for the curses we've spoken in our lives and move on. Try now to bless whenever you feel the urge to insult rise up and see what happens!