Words

Words

Standing in line at the grocery store, the other day, I heard a young girl ask her mother to purchase her a book. Without even looking at what the child had chosen, the mother snapped, “You ain’t smart enough to read them words, so why you think you need a book!”

I started to fork over the money and purchase the book for the child, who looked so disheartened. Instead, when she passed me while putting the book up, I whispered to her, “Honey, you are smart, read everything and anything you can get your hands on!”

Parents, employers, people I think forget how words can hurt. Growing up there was a child saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me!”

I don’t believe that. I think the negative words plant seeds into a child. A seed that can either die or nurture. The words could be as simple as racist, or as disheartening to tear down the hope of a future for a child, or, even, as heartbreaking to tear the self-esteem of a child down.

We have to learn to control our tongues. We have to watch what we say to a child. We have to follow the scripture in James 3. We have to tame our tongue.

Encourage a child today, even in a small way, for many that will be all the encouragement that they will receive.

Pray for our children, they are our hope of tomorrow.