Self Talk

Fridays with Susan...

"There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing." Proverbs 12:18

Sword thrusts.

We've all experienced more than our share of those.  Words that hurt.  Words that stick with you a lifetime.  Words that undo in a flash, the good that has been building for a lifetime.

It's easy for me to remember the words of others who have hurt us and to understand the impact they have.  But I forget far too easily how the negative words I say to myself - the words no-one hears but me -  do so very much more damage than anyone on the other side of my skin can do.  Likewise, it is with "the tongue of the wise" that I have the power to speak healing into my own heart.

I have to be careful.  My attitude toward myself affects my view of others and colours how I see them too.

Is that where it starts?. Can I only be as kind and loving to others as I am to myself first?   

Though no-one else can hear me, it's important to choose those words carefully that I say to myself...

Comments

Dave Hingsburger said…
I do believe that we need to honour the 'us' that God loves. There is so much talk about 'dieing to self' that we can forget that God wants us to 'live as self' ... our individuality is our gift to the world ... our contribution to diversity ... our personal offering to God. Kindness doesn't begin at home, it begins within. I know that when I write this, I have trouble with that when living life and facing situations. Ah well, it's a start.
3:35 AM
Karebear said…
I can still here the Ugandans say: "The devil is a liar!" And I started to say that too when negative thoughts came in my head. We are Christ's daughters and must bask in that goodness!
8:01 AM
Belinda said…
Such a foundational truth, dear friends, that we don't express the lies of the enemy to ourselves as though we agree with him. Why that is so hard I don't know, except that we are "bent." :) We are bent towards self loathing much quicker than self love. Even writing "self love" seems uncomfortable, and yet I know that God wants our love for others to spring out of a correct view of our own acceptance and love.

Thanks Susan, for your Friday thought.
8:06 AM
Janet Sketchley said…
Wow, my third day in a row encountering this message... I know what that means.

Susan, thank you. Dave, Karebear and Belinda, thank you. God, thank You for each of these....
11:17 AM
Belinda said…
Hugs to you Janet, dear sister. Happy Thanksgiving!
12:20 PM
Janet Sketchley said…
Thanks, Belinda! I just popped back to read the comments again because I realized God had been trying to say something to me through Dave's words. This is on top of the original reminder about positive words.

Guess that makes this post a double blessing to me!

Thanks, everyone--and thanks, God!
8:18 AM
Susan said…
I forgot I wrote this, but I'm glad I did because I found it today when I really needed it...
6:28 AM
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