Listen

So many different thoughts are swirling around in my mind right now. I was reading a book called Listen last night, and this book is talking about a town that suddenly has a website that is reporting some of the private conversations in the town. These conversations start a wave of hurt and pain that sweeps the whole town. People start hearing what other people think about them. The book is fiction, but I guess that it kinda made me stop and realize the power of words. It's not that I didn't understand that before, the Scripture speaks clearly of this in James, but I guess the book made me think. How much of what I say has the potential to hurt people? Do I ever think about it? I know that words hurt, I've had them hurt me, but sometimes it's easy to say things and not think about them. In these days of Facebook and Blogging, it's so easy to say something and maybe not really mean it, but you can hurt someone forever. Sometimes we say something and then tell the person you are joking, and they say that it's ok, but in reality they are hurt inside. How many times have I done that? Lord, please help me to be careful with my words, help me to watch what I say. Help me to only use uplifting words to pull others up with me, so that we may reach our heavenly goal!