Whenever anyone experiences a series of bad breaks, those close to this individual may begin to wonder why suffering, tribulations and unfortunate events have visited their friend. In the Old Testament, bad and good were often linked to God. Thus, a mentality developed to associate anything good with blessings and the bad as some sort of curse from God. This is the context of the passage below as Job has listened to his friends attempt to explain the freak accidents and natural disaster that destroyed his possessions and took the lives of his children.
“I also could speak like you, If you were in my place; I could compose and join words together against you and shake my head at you,” Job 16:4.
Job calls out those who have made numerous accusations against him. One of the translations refers to words that can tear you into pieces. Essentially, Job states that anyone can sit back and point their finger in the direction of blame. Yet, Job refuses to participate in this futile activity. Rather, Job turns his attention toward seeking God to find understanding for his recent trials. In today’s volatile climate of daily verbal assaults against those the media disagrees with politically, this is an important lesson to learn.
A [shortsighted] fool always loses his temper and displays his anger, but a wise man [uses self-control and] holds it back, Proverbs 29:11.
The phrase sticks and stones will break my bones but names will never hurt me first appeared in 1872. Mrs. George Cupples presented this saying as advice in Tappy Chicks: and Other Links Between Nature and Human Nature. While this piece of wisdom attempts to develop mental toughness, the Bible reveals a different story. When anger or tempers influence language, critical words inflict wounds to human souls. While there are no initial bruises like marks from sticks and stones, vulnerable hearts take each blow. Before anyone person gets hurt or killed like the Capital Gazette shooting in Annapolis, Maryland, its time to lay down your weapons so that healing may begin now.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 