Sticks and Stones may break my bones, but words never will

May I be importune for a moment without being descant or hebetate or do I have to be blandish for you to see my point? 

Words are tools of communication yet they can barriers especially if the person receiving them has no idea what is being communicated.  Here is another way of stating the message:  May I ask you annoyingly without going into great detail or giving boring illustrations or flowering you with flattery for you to see my point?  Does it make sense now?  Communication occurs when the hearer understands what the speaker is saying. 

You'll never amount to anything!  You are going to hell!

Words can and do hurt even though they don't break bones.  Words can break the spirit or damage the emotions of the receiver.  Words like You will never amount to anything to a child destroys hope that a child has or the feeling of acceptance.  Words used by bosses to demean employees can have a negative effect on employee morale and employee production.  Words spoken in anger or words spoken in disgust cannot be recalled for once they are said, the harm is done.

Politically Correct Words

Words can become taboo or not accepted in by a majority of society.  We call this being "politically correct"  God has now become a genderless word.  There was a time when God was referred to as Father God or He.  Now, God is often called Father/Mother God or he or she.  Some have eliminated he or she and just the word God each time a reference is made to God.  Pregnant is now spoken freely in our society.  Sixty Years ago it would not be used in public.  She is in a family way would be proper to say back then.  

Books have been banned because of words or concepts conveyed in the book. Schools had The Adventures of Tom Sawyer  on recommended reading lists 60 years ago.  Today, it is under fire for the use of the "n" word.  

This week a controversy has arisen over the words used by Phil Robertson of the tv Show Duck Dynasty over the words he spoke against homosexuality in an interview he gave to a magazine.  Now, he is banned from the tv show.  There are those who say this is the right thing to do and there are those who say this is a violation of free speech.  Who is right?  Free Speech gives one the right to say or speak what he believes.  It is not a guarantee that everyone will accept it.

Here is something to think about

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."   Paul  in Philippians 4:8

Rather than being combative and insisting that you are always right, how about taking the time to listen what others are saying.  Although you may not agree with what they say, they have the right to say them.  Yes, we should not accept words that can break the spirit of a person.  We are called to think about what is noble, what is right, what is pure, what is lovely and admirable.  We should use words that build up not tear down society or others.