“Sticks and stone may break my bones but words will never hurt me.”

According to my old trusted friend, Wikipedia, the children’s rhyme, “Sticks and Stones” has been around since 1857 and was coined as a defense against name-calling, and verbal bullying and was intended to increase resiliency to avoid physical retaliation.

This phrase has been repeated by elementary school teachers and children on playgrounds for over 150 years.

Personally, I can vividly remember chanting this on the playground at Weaver Elementary School for my entire time there as a student. Or, I used it while trying to comfort friends who became victims of the playground tomfoolery. It was less prevalent the older and more mature I became. At this point in my life it is only repeated as a joke or an attempt to be dramatically humorous.

While the children’s phrase is loaded with truth and wisdom, it is also loaded with falsehoods and exaggeration.

Sticks and stones will definitely break bones that will most likely heal with time. There may be scars from the temporary wounds but the physical pain will heal. The deceitfulness only comes in when it has been discovered that words actually do hurt and cannot be unheard once they are delivered with the intent to cause mental harm. The scars of mentally bullying tend to linger longer because they are replayed over and over again like a bad blooper real.

Clearly,150 years ago there were no social media platforms to share and repost verbal abuse like there is today.

Ever since I allowed the Holy Spirit more control over my life, my thoughts and my deeds I pray constantly that he uses my words to heal, lift spirits, and be a complete reflection of the love of our Lord. Am I one hundred percent successful with these endeavors? Absolutely not but I am so grateful that even on my worst days I do not use the gift of words to tear down another one of God’s children.

Jesus calls us to love the unlovable….even the ones who hurl sticks and stones at you. Even the ones who smear your name on social media for reasons unbeknownst to you. When someone hurts our feelings with their words it is very easy to write them off, hold a grudge or even try to retaliate but that is not what the word of God wants. God calls us to love them even when they cannot repay it. The only way we can even attempt to accomplish the love that he calls us to, instead of searching for sticks and stones, is to continually seek his face and fix your gaze on him because he loves all of us. Even the one holding the stones.

“The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”
Proverbs 12:18

“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8