By Karen Finn
Numerous times I reflect back on my upbringing. I was raised in the city, so there was a certain hardness that I acquired as a result of being street-smart savvy. Name-calling; teasing; spreading false information and telling “little white lies”~ all were a daily dose of the language system that I communicated with friends and family.
James 3:5 tells us that “the tongue is a little member and boasteth great things. Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth”. Once a spark begins to smolder, it doesn’t take long for it to develop into a raging blaze. It can set us on a course of destruction, leaving behind a trail of hurt and desolation. Yet the same fire which possesses the ability to maim can be the warmth we seek when chilled to the bone. Under different circumstances, its intensity and constancy can be a balm which restores and refreshes our weary souls. Our speech carries the same powerful energy.
Remember the childhood chant: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me”? That’s not true. Names do hurt. And so do the false innuendos, the cover-ups, the negative and critical comments. We need to choose our words carefully and realize we can not control or reverse the damage they can do.
Ephesians 4:29 states “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth
but that which is good to the use of edifying.” Worthless words and useless conversation are not constructive. The Greek definition for edify can be interpreted as “to be a house-builder”. Think of your speech as a form of architecture, which has the power to produce a magnificent mansion or reduce it to rubble! Which structure would you rather create?
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