Opinions...Everybody's Got One
My little girl came in the bathroom crying today, saying her big sister said one of her favorite shows was a “baby show”. Through her tears, I could see her hurt, granted it’s just a show to us, but to her it’s what she finds joy in.
I tried to use this opportunity to teach my oldest how our words can sting, hurt, and cause pain when they should be used to build each other up and for encouragement.
Then it got me thinking.Would you believe I learn a lot of life lessons from disciplining and teaching my children? It's true. Things that I know, have heard before, and insist my children obey, but sometimes don’t necessarily practice. I'll tell you nothing hits you harder than conviction through your own words. When you speak to your children telling them how they should act and speak this way, but you know deep down that’s not the way you’ve been living. Talk about a punch in the gut!
After this incident, I’ve realized everyone has an opinion. As if that’s some big epiphany to you all? With that being said, I think we could all do some work on realizing when it’s a good time to just keep our opinions to ourselves. Myself included. Words are powerful. Power that can bring life or death to a person. Yet, oftentimes we let words spew from our lips without a second thought as to was that really necessary for me to say? We defend ourselves by saying, "Oh they are just words, no harm in that joke, no harm in that sarcastic comment, no harm in letting them know how I really feel." I think that is where we are wrong. There is harm and I saw it in my baby girl's eyes today. Maybe she won't remember this incident today, but I know I will.
I tried to use this opportunity to teach my oldest how our words can sting, hurt, and cause pain when they should be used to build each other up and for encouragement.
Then it got me thinking.Would you believe I learn a lot of life lessons from disciplining and teaching my children? It's true. Things that I know, have heard before, and insist my children obey, but sometimes don’t necessarily practice. I'll tell you nothing hits you harder than conviction through your own words. When you speak to your children telling them how they should act and speak this way, but you know deep down that’s not the way you’ve been living. Talk about a punch in the gut!
After this incident, I’ve realized everyone has an opinion. As if that’s some big epiphany to you all? With that being said, I think we could all do some work on realizing when it’s a good time to just keep our opinions to ourselves. Myself included. Words are powerful. Power that can bring life or death to a person. Yet, oftentimes we let words spew from our lips without a second thought as to was that really necessary for me to say? We defend ourselves by saying, "Oh they are just words, no harm in that joke, no harm in that sarcastic comment, no harm in letting them know how I really feel." I think that is where we are wrong. There is harm and I saw it in my baby girl's eyes today. Maybe she won't remember this incident today, but I know I will.
I will remember that there are opinions, and yes everyone has one; But I will also remember that maybe just maybe the whole world doesn’t need to know everything that I think. Maybe just maybe I can turn those opinions into truth by reading and studying the absolute. Maybe just maybe I can replace what I “think” with what He knows to be “true.” Then I really do know this world could be a better place.
Let us build up God’s kingdom not tear it down.
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”
Ephesians 4:29
With love,
Tori
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