Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: ADAGE (10/05/23)
-
TITLE: Sticks and Stones | Previous Challenge Entry
By Doug Laird
10/11/23 -
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES
Such adages often have conditions that must be satisfied, if the projected outcome is to be realized.
As an example, Scripture says, “Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he grows older he will not abandon it (Proverbs 22: 6 NASB2020).”
Here, there are two such conditions that must be satisfied. Condition #1 is that the child is brought up with accurate Biblical knowledge and guidance. Condition #2 is that the properly taught and disciplined child must choose to apply the information, if he is to benefit from it.
“I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth (3John 1: 4 NASB2020).”
In context, John was speaking of his followers, but the principle also applies to human parenting.
Foolish (rebellious and disrespectful) children bring grief and bitterness to their parents (2).
Being Proverbs 22: 6 “old” is not speaking about biological age. It is talking about spiritual maturity. Spiritual maturity requires self determination on the part of the child.
A godly parent will lead the horse (child) to water (Biblical knowledge), but he or she can not make it drink. That’s their choice.
. . .
As children, most of us has heard the old saying, “Sticks and stones can break my bones, but names can never hurt me.”
The truth is, the wounds inflicted by the human tongue can be VERY painful, and if not addressed, will leave emotional and debilitating scar tissue that can last a lifetime.
Unaddressed pain caused by an evil tongue will inevitably be vented through overtly negative behavior towards others, or internalized, resulting in debilitating or destructive attitudes and behaviors towards oneself.
Scripture defines the human tongue as something that is filled with deadly poison and is beyond human ability to bring under control (3).
I do not know of one decent person who hasn’t regretted the harmful and painful words that came out of his or her own mouth
It may not be until we, or someone close to us, suffers the same pain, that we come to see the level of pain that we have caused others to suffer.
The two-stage Biblical solution to recovery, and the accompanying ability to move on, may surprise you!
The Biblical solution is not dependent or conditional on the actions, inactions, response, or lack of response on the part of other people.
The healing solution is in the hands of the one you see in the mirror!
Drugs, alcohol, activity, and or avoidance may provide the temporary relief from the symptoms, but the problem (and the lingering damage) remains.
Stage one calls for forgiveness.
If you are the guilty party, having caused others to suffer by what came out of your own mouth, you must confess the sin to God (4), and forsake it (5) from this point forward.
You must then forgive yourself.
Consider the possibility that one of the reasons God places you in situations that frequently require you to forgive others, is because YOU need the practice!
If possible, fence mending would be well-advised, but this requires the willingness of the free will of other people, over which we have no control.
Stage #2 of the recovery process is to acknowledge that the inevitable hurt feelings, misunderstandings, and disappointments ARE going to be a part of one’s experience when interacting with people.
Sometimes such things are unintentional, sometimes they are not.
From time to time, you WILL be hurt, and you WILL hurt others by the untamed tongue.
The spiritually mature believer will not condone this evil, but come to anticipate and even expect its inevitable manifestation (6), and then properly address it.
When occasional hurtful words are expected, they will no longer have the shocking or stinging impact that they once did. This makes OUR obedience to the Luke 6: 27, 28 commands, less of a hurdle for us to overcome, as we progress along the road to spiritual maturity.
“But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who are abusive to you (Luke 6:27-28 NASB2020).”
In closing, consider that the mature believer will be a person of few, but edifying (7), words.
________
(1) Matt. 7: 16 - 18 (2) Proverbs 17: 25 (3) James 3: 8 (4) 1John 1: 9 (5) John 8: 11 (6) John 2: 25 (7) Eph. 4: 29
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
Accept Jesus as Your Lord and Savior Right Now - CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
