Sticks and Stones

The Power of the Tongue dan skognes motivation blogger speaker teacher trainer coach educatorOur tongues are unruly little things. They wag too much and get us in trouble more often than we wish to admit. If only we understood the power of our words. They either speak life…or death, blessings…or curses.

Every day that I work with kids I find myself having the same conversations over and over. I tell kids that my second rule for the classroom is that they be kind to one another. Depending on the grade I am teaching and the emotional maturity of the group, that rule is typically broken multiple times a day. Kids want to get into the blame game and they find out pretty quick that I don’t play that game (much to their dismay).

Why is it that we have so much trouble controlling our tongue and just speaking kindly to one another? Here are just a few of the reasons I have uncovered:

  • People don’t want to accept responsibility for their own actions, so they look to deflect and blame someone or blame the circumstance.
  • Some people let pride get in the way. They are too proud to admit they were wrong, so they go to justify themselves.
  • Hurt people hurt people. When someone is emotionally wounded and they have not handled it in a positive manner, they tend to lash out at other people…sometimes for no reason at all.
  • A quick wit can get laughs but it also can get you into trouble if the timing or occasion is inappropriate.
  • Some folks just like to talk too much and need to shut up learn the art of listening.
  • Then there are those people who like to gossip and are more than willing to talk about other people behind their backs.
  • Finally, a lack of forgiveness will cause people to say hurtful things.

You know when you were growing up and they said, “Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me?” If only that were true.  Sadly, words can wound deeper than a knife and the scars can last a lifetime. Countless people are still walking around today wounded from something their Mom, Dad, friend, Teacher, or Preacher said to them when they were just kids!  How tragic is that?  The weight of our words is sometimes so heavy that people are pushed to do crazy things and even commit suicide. Think about the kids who take their own lives because of bullying.

Please think before you speak. Be kind with your words. Once you release them they are forever in the ears of those that receive them.

Shalom!

Dan Skognes

2 Responses to “Sticks and Stones”

  1. Glenn says:

    Thank you Dan….
    Your post is always the right measure at the right moment..

    Kind Regards,

    Glenn in Minnesota