sigh
Proverbs 12:18 There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
Proverbs 14:3 3 By the mouth of a fool comes a rod for his back, but the lips of the wise will preserve them.
Proverbs 29:20 Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
You know what? These verses (and all the others about speech inviting a beating, or your words being like a nuclear bomb, laying waste to all in their path) apply even if you didn’t mean what the listener heard. And you know what else? You can’t just fall back on “well, that’s not what I meant” because regardless, a person was hurt by your words.
This week I hurt several people, and the image of a minsitry of our church with a few simple, harmless (in my mind) comments, that were heard without context. If you are one of those people, my profoundest apologies.
Be careful… very careful, of what you say.
And one more thing: Proverbs 26:18-19 Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, ³I am only joking!²
October 31, 2003 at 12:05 pm
I was going to post my response, but it’s massive. So instead, I blogged it. Let me preview by saying that you are dead wrong. http://www.mattandnancy.org/pat
October 31, 2003 at 2:40 pm
Here’s kinda my point tho, perhaps it is not the speaker’s fault, and it is the mis-hearer’s fault, but try telling that to the mis-hearer after they have had their feelings hurt.
I am speaking from a practical appliction stand point.
October 31, 2003 at 2:43 pm
For posterity, here is a link to pat’s post