Saturday, December 31, 2011

Words

Words.  They are powerful things.  Once spoken, they cannot be "un-uttered."  They hang there--in the air--FOREVER--over the heads of those they were spoken to.  They play like recordings in our minds, especially the words that hurt.  
I have some words hanging over me.  "You're the best employee I ever had in this job, but you need to lose weight."  "I like everything about you...except your body."    "I'm not going to tell you you're pretty.  I don't lie."  "You're not good enough for me."  My ex-hubby told me he wouldn't hold my hand in public because he didn't want people (strangers, even) to know we were together. Emphasis on the "ex".

Many of these things were said to me when I was 100 pounds lighter than I am now.  I distinctly remember coming to a point in my life where I believed I could never be good enough for anyone because of my weight, so why bother?  I believed that even if I lost as much weight as I possibly could, I would still not be good enough because I have a less-than-perfect body type to begin with.

I guess today I'm just curious..wondering why any of us think it's our job in the first place to point out what is wrong with someone else.  I'm paraphrasing, but the Bible tells us to first remove the LOG from our own eye before we try to take out the splinter from someone else's eye.  I have to consider that some of the hurtful things said to me about my weight were said in the spirit of "helping" me.  I just believe there are better ways of helping people than giving them a laundry list of their physical faults.

The bottom line is that words matter.  Words can tear people down or build them up.  They can hurt, or they can heal.  It has taken me a long time to get past the hurts of the words spoken to me over the years about my weight.  And now I am grateful for the encouraging words that are coming my way as I work toward taking better care of myself.  Hugs.

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 



1 comment:

  1. Hi Cindy,

    "The tongue has the power of life and death." (Prov 18:21) It's hard to think of those hurtful things being said to you, but I love that you shared them. Simply more proof that you have been set free! "If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed!" John 8:36, also quoted by Sherri Rose :)

    Here's to an encouraging New Year!

    Love,
    Your sister

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