Words kill, words give life; they're either poison or fruit—you choose. Proverbs 18:21 (The Message)
Yesterday, I said something really ugly…No, I didn't curse. It was worse than cursing. Worse than curing, you say? Yes, worse than cursing. Yesterday, I made an ugly remark about someone. It was totally uncalled for. As soon as I said it, I felt bad. But then I did something even worse…I "justified" the remark. You see, this person did me wrong. This person was inconsiderate and it affected me. She inconvenienced me! So, I made a completely justified remark about her! Right?
Wrong!
This morning a friend called me with a broken heart because someone had made cruel remarks about someone she loves deeply. As I talked to my friend and tried to console her, I remembered my own ugly remarks yesterday. Funny thing, I began to think about how the person I made my ugly remark about would feel if she knew what I'd said!
Do I really want to take the risk of hurting someone like my dear friend was hurt by making ugly comments about someone else? Do I want to be the cause of hurt in someone's life? Tell you what, it's time for this ole gal to make some adjustments and seek some forgiveness.
Friends, words hurt. This was sent to me in an email a while back and it's so very true:
"Watch your thoughts, they become words.
Watch your words, they become actions.
Watch your actions, they become habits.
Watch your habits, they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny."
The bottom line is love. I find that I don't love perfectly. Sometimes I don't even want to love others. With love as the measure of goodness, I can never be good enough because I always fail. And this, dear friends, is why the love, mercy and grace of Jesus Christ is so very important!
