“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.” I rattled off those words in the school playground 40 years ago, yet there are still names and words that I can hear today as clearly as they were spoken 40 years ago. I also remember things I’ve said that came out of my mouth in a moment of anger or frustration that I wish I could take back. Yet they are out there.
We can forgive, but it’s hard to forget. The lingering effect of things said can last for decades. We need help from compassionate people to process hurtful words. Those words can sink deep into our souls and shape us for years to come.
It is no surprise that James can tell us that our words should be slow to come out. Speaking words of anger doesn’t bring about the righteousness in us or in others that God requires (Jas. 1:19-21). But what are we to do when we have words that ring in our ears decades after they’ve been spoken?
We need to hear a different word. The Word that became flesh speaks a better word to us that is intended to be implanted in our souls and save us from the words that have been embedded in our hearts that have goaded us (Jas. 1:21). We need to hear the words that thundered over the mountain, “This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matt. 17:5) as the words that are spoken over every child of God, dearly loved by the Creator and Saviour.
It is taking His Word and applying what he has said to my heart that has brought tremendous healing. Understanding his grace to me, his favour, his kindness, his forgiveness, his righteousness, his declaration of justification – I will spend the rest of my life applying his good Word to my soul to undo the words that I misinterpreted, misapplied, and mistakenly took on as my own.
God knows that one of the best ways to shape us is by hearing a better Word. Jesus is that better word, and he comes to you to take you as you are and remake you by his good word, declaring your sins are forgiven, clothing you in his righteousness, and saying over and over, “You are my beloved child, in whom I am well pleased.”
Why not hear that word and live in light of it? It might be the best thing you ever hear until you do hear, “Well done, my good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Master” (Matt. 25:23).
You are loved!
Andrew
