Sticks And Stones
by Patty Williams
Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.
Whoever quoted that did not have the understanding of how deeply words do hurt.
Have you ever been offended by words from someone close to you?
When the words of another offend you what do you do?
The natural response is to lash out and retaliate with words that would point the finger back at the offender. This kind of reaction may redirect the pressure for the moment but begins to seal resentment in our heart. Anger could emerge as a result of repeated encounters.
How do we protect ourselves when others have treated us with disrespect or offended us or our loved ones?
Having knowledge of what is happening can help to defuse the situation. Let’s dissect the action of an offender to gain understanding. Knowing why someone uses offensive words toward us can help us to respond instead of react. One of the most important elements involved in offensive words is believing the words spoken are true. Of course, it isn’t easy to dismiss ugly negative words meant to hurt us.
People feeling threatened, insecure or superior to another may use offensive words to bring others down so they do not feel threatened. When people feel superior to others it is pride in their heart. Pride is usually a cover for insecurity. No matter how you slice it; the offensive person is wants to make you look worse so they can look and feel better about themselves or their situation. Lets remember this is usually not done with a conscientiously.
Why is it so hard to stop repeating the conversation in your head after someone offends you? Because we believe it. This is a hard truth but usually if we are offended by someone’s words we have some level of belief in their statement.
What can we do to turn the situation around?