Be Careful With Your Words
Some wounds never fully heal.
Some of the deepest wounds a person carries were not caused by a physical blow, but by words. Words spoken in anger. Words spoken without thinking. Words spoken in moments of frustration, rejection, disappointment, or contempt.
And once spoken, words cannot be taken back.
A wound on the body may eventually disappear, but words can remain in someone’s heart for years. A single sentence can become an inner voice that a person carries with them: “You are not good enough.” “You will never amount to anything.” “I don’t love you anymore.” “You are worthless.”
Be very careful with your words.
The Bible tells us:
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue.”
— Proverbs 18:21
That is a powerful warning. Our words have the ability to give life, but they also have the ability to destroy.
Proverbs 12:18 says:
“The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”
Think about that image: words can pierce like a sword.
You can cut someone without ever touching them.
You can destroy someone’s confidence.
You can crush their hope.
You can damage their sense of worth.
You can kill the spirit inside them.
And sometimes the person who spoke the words moves on and forgets them, while the person who received them carries them for the rest of their life.
That is why wisdom is not simply knowing what to say. Wisdom is knowing when, how, and whether something needs to be said at all.
Before you speak, consider how your words may be perceived by the person hearing them. Consider their history. Consider their vulnerabilities. Consider the relationship you have with them. Consider whether your words are intended to correct, or whether they are simply an expression of your own anger.
Not every truth needs to be delivered harshly.
Truth without love can become cruelty.
The apostle Paul gives us a better standard:
“Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.”
— Ephesians
