December 7, 2020
Sticks and Stones May Break My Bones
My child, a gentle tongue-speaking word that builds up and encourages, is a Tree of Life, but a perverted deceitful tongue-speaking words will overwhelm, depress, and crush the spirit. (Proverbs 15:4) Your kind words are like medicine to the soul, but cruel words crush a person’s spirit. (Proverbs 17:22) An old adage says: ‘sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never harm me!’ Words won’t hurt you. They will kill you! (Ephesians 4:29-32) Your tongue may be small, but it’s capable of causing significant damage. (James 3:5) Though your tongue has no bones, yet it’s strong enough to break someone’s heart – they have the power to consume and destroy a life! (Proverbs 15:1) Cruel words are word curses; break them off your Life. Brutal words spoken cut your spirit, breaks your heart and dries up the bones. (Proverbs 17:22)
Many years ago, I had to have double hip replacement surgery due to Avascular Necrosis. Avascular Necroses stops the blood flow in your joints and causes the joint to die. Later I studied the scripture (Proverbs 17:22) a merry heart does good like a medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones. Seriously, that is what I experienced. I was awakened to the reality my heart was broken, and my spirit was crushed. (Psalms 147:3, Psalms 34:18) The good news is that God is near the brokenhearted, and He mends their wounds, and He saves those who are crushed in spirit. He heals those broken places in your heart/soul and turns your hurts into halos and your scars into stars if you allow Him too! This scripture awakened me because my heart was broken, and my spirit was crushed when my marriage ended. We lost everything we had worked for during the twenty-one-year marriage. (Proverbs 15:13) The fact was, I needed healing, and I took the time to heal. If you have gone through a broken marriage or relationship, you need time to heal. If you jump back into a relationship, you will do the same dance with a different face. Take the time for God to heal and restore you.
A human being can endure and overcome sickness, but what can you do when your spirit is crushed? (Proverbs 18:14) Be conscious of the words! Your words reveal your thoughts and intentions of the heart. Out of the abundance of your heart, the mouth speaks! (Luke 6:45) Your thoughts have a significant connection to your heart – whether your heart is hard from sin or refashioned by grace. James is precise about the power source for such destruction. The tongue that sets on fire is set on fire itself by hell. (James 3:3-12) Your speech is a barometer of your spiritual maturity, and it reveals what is in your heart. Your face is a reflection of what is in your heart. (Proverbs 27:19) What is in your heart will determine your course in Life – you will either be a wellspring of Life, or you will have issues of Life flowing out of you. (Proverbs 4:23) I choose to be a wellspring of Life. Life is 10% of what happens to you and 90% of how you react to it! It’s your choice.
Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every person. (Colossians 4:6) Anyone who can control their tongue is a mature person and can keep his entire body in check. (James 3:2) Beloved, watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut, then you will stay out of trouble. Guard your tongue, for My eyes are in every place watching evil and good. (Proverbs 15:3) Speak words of Life over yourself and others and watch the fruit of your lips multiply for good!
