My column in MINDANAO DAILY, BusinessWeek Mindanao and The Metro Cagayan de Oro Times
OPINION
By KLAUS DORING
January 17, 2021
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Matthew 12:34 says, "Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks". Indeed, the place to begin with our words is inside in our thoughts about others and us. If we accompany that with a commitment to stop speaking hurtful words. We have begun a dramatic mid-course correction in life, a religion writer, Dave McCasland said a long time ago.
The power of words, written as well as spoken out, is a weapon, which can hurt or even kill. Writing with a wicked pen or talking with a sharp tongue doesn't mean that all of us should walk disrespectfully through other's lives.
Careless words can really inflict wounds that last for a lifetime. On the other hand, kind words can bring healing and encouragement. Yes, everything we say has the power to hurt or to heal.
The religious and philosophical writer Tulushkin stressed: "If you can't go for 24 hours without saying unkind words about others, you have lost control of your tongue. Joseph Telushkin lectured on the awesome power of words and our sometimes "dirty tongues".
He suggested taking a revealing "tongue test" to see where we stand. "Monitor your conversation for two days", he said. "Note every time you say something negative about someone, who is not personally present. Also record, when others do so, as well as your reactions when it happened. Do you try to silence the speaker, or do you ask for more details?" And then, Telushkin concluded: "Most of us who take this test are unpleasantly surprised!" And now, my dear readers you can guess, why ... .
I found another good description in Proverbs 6:16-19, relate to the causes and effects of hurting and damaging words: "Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies, and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers".
I really had to think of one of the other details from the past few days reaching us from the global newsrooms... .
