Sunday, August 19, 2012

sticks and stones

"What you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson



Do you remember the children's rhyme ... 

Sticks and stones
May break my bones
But words will never hurt me.

I remember it from my childhood like this, "Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me." But I think the version with "words" is much more profound. And not true.

I think that words can hurt very much. And they are often hard to take back. And it is often me that is saying those words. Do you ever do that? I hurt someone I love very much yesterday with words that came tumbling out of my mouth. Words that speak way louder than any act of kindness, I think. 

Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut,
    and you will stay out of trouble.
- Proverbs 21:23 NLT

Do you ever just want to tape your mouth shut? I do. 

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.
- Psalm 19:14




quotes

2 comments:

  1. Yesterday I chose to keep my mouth shut although I had to basically keep repeating to myself to keep my mouth shut. It was difficult but I did it. I'm unsure why sometimes we just blab whatever comes into our heads.

    I need to remember the proverbs you have posted here.

    ReplyDelete