Sticks and stones may break your bones, but names will never hurt you.
As a young and naïve child, I heard that expression and believed it was true. After all, people told me derogatory names or words couldn’t physically hurt me. Nonetheless, after repeatedly being called egghead, C (because of my poor posture), and dumb blonde—not to mention being ostracized for my lack of makeup and criticized for what I did or didn’t do—I found it difficult to neglect the pain.
Toxic words wounded me psychologically and emotionally, and I developed a negative self-image. The damage was as bad as a physical blow. Soon, I believed I was unaccepted, unworthy, and unloved for who I was. Essentially, others’ words formed my identity.
I praise God for His life-changing truth in the Bible. After becoming God’s child as an adult, I realized I no longer had the false identity given to me by people’s words. Instead, God gave me my identity. According to God’s Word, I am deeply loved, completely forgiven, accepted, and complete in Christ.
Ask God to help you realize the power of your tongue. Use it to build others up, not tear them down. God can help you recognize the poison in your tongue and how to speak only what is pleasing to Him. And remember, your identity comes from God, not what others say about you.
Page Gyatt has been writing devotions for some time. She is a Compel Writer’s training member (affiliated with Proverbs 31 ministries) and has entered various writing challenges over the years. Recently, her testimony was printed in a book called Stories of Grace: Changed Hearts Changed Lives by Burke Community Church Women’s Ministry. She was also one of many authors. You can contact her at pglovejoyhope@gmail.com.