"Grievous words stir up anger as certainly as an effect follows its cause....For the moment they seem to be smart and spirited, betraying a dignified temper and a haughty courage, but in reality, they are nothing more than proofs of littleness, spitefulness, chagrin, or other emotion lying on the same degraded line." Joseph Parker
Wow - Mr. Parker (an English preacher and theologian who died in 1902) just ripped right out from underneath us any justification for using "grievous" words, didn't he? With his admonition ringing in our ears it's impossible to rationalize our use of scathing or hurtful words because we "needed to make a point" and that was the only way to do it.
There is always a better, more Christ-like way, to address people than by using words that may reside with them the rest of their lives. When we belittle, degrade or otherwise humiliate someone, we have no idea the effect that our words may have on their life, but we know that at the very least somewhere in the recesses of their subconscious, a serious chip has been inflicted on their self-image. A chip that may be added to several other chips they have received, now making a fairly large gash.
Our words to others are to be chosen carefully, because they represent to that person who we really are. If the person we have treated disrespectfully is not a Christian, how can we ever hope to go back to that person and successfully talk to them about the love of Jesus and the change He has made in our lives? They are most likely never going to be able to get past the picture that they already have of us...and it is not anything that they want to be like. So the now important words of life that we are ready to share will be drowned out by our previous words of rebuke.
The power of our words are very often underestimated...and as I am sitting here typing this, I am reminded that this applies to words in all forms, verbal and written. In this age of electronic conversation, we need to be strongly reminded that the quick text, e-mail or facebook post that we think is a great comeback, may just be a "grievous word", and all it is doing is stirring up a pot of wrath.
Thanks, Mr. Joseph Parker, for your strong rebuke of our tendency to try to get away with words of harshness.
Wow - Mr. Parker (an English preacher and theologian who died in 1902) just ripped right out from underneath us any justification for using "grievous" words, didn't he? With his admonition ringing in our ears it's impossible to rationalize our use of scathing or hurtful words because we "needed to make a point" and that was the only way to do it.
There is always a better, more Christ-like way, to address people than by using words that may reside with them the rest of their lives. When we belittle, degrade or otherwise humiliate someone, we have no idea the effect that our words may have on their life, but we know that at the very least somewhere in the recesses of their subconscious, a serious chip has been inflicted on their self-image. A chip that may be added to several other chips they have received, now making a fairly large gash.
Our words to others are to be chosen carefully, because they represent to that person who we really are. If the person we have treated disrespectfully is not a Christian, how can we ever hope to go back to that person and successfully talk to them about the love of Jesus and the change He has made in our lives? They are most likely never going to be able to get past the picture that they already have of us...and it is not anything that they want to be like. So the now important words of life that we are ready to share will be drowned out by our previous words of rebuke.
The power of our words are very often underestimated...and as I am sitting here typing this, I am reminded that this applies to words in all forms, verbal and written. In this age of electronic conversation, we need to be strongly reminded that the quick text, e-mail or facebook post that we think is a great comeback, may just be a "grievous word", and all it is doing is stirring up a pot of wrath.
Thanks, Mr. Joseph Parker, for your strong rebuke of our tendency to try to get away with words of harshness.
1 comment:
Yes, thanks to Mr. Parker. Harsh words will never achieve what kinds words can. Kindness is taught to us by Jesus Christ. His words are always kind and gentle, even when He is correcting our wrongs.
Post a Comment