Words That Wound

Zing. The words just came out. Before the consequences were fully considered the words were spoken. Cutting remarks that wound. Words that cannot be taken back. Words that hurt down to the soul.

Parents do this to children. Spouses do it one another. Bosses do it children. Coaches do it athletes. Friends do it to friends. Words that wound can cut deep. They do not heal over night. Look around you. You can see the evidence of broken people carrying deep scars from words that wound. Sadly pastors can preach words that wound.

Words spoken in anger, spoken in impatience, spoken in bitterness, spoken in condemnation, and spoken in frustration do a lot of damage. Grown children still have haunting words floating around in their minds they can't forget from unloving parents. Piercing words spoken by friends cause people to distrust others. Words that wound are often spoken in church among the members. Gossip. Slander. All par for the course in some churches. To this day many people refuse to step foot back in a church because of words that wound.

How different life would be if people spoke words that heal and lift up rather than words that wound.

Proverbs 16:24 (NASB) 
²⁴  Pleasant words are a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.  Proverbs 17:27 (NASB)
²⁷  He who restrains his words has knowledge, And he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.  Proverbs 15:4 (NASB)
⁴  A soothing tongue is a tree of life, But perversion in it crushes the spirit. 

Are your words a tree o life or a perversion that crushes the spirit of others? Do your words bring health or wounds to listeners?Food for thought on this Friday night.