Did you hear the one about the British swearing parrots? That question sounds like the start of a bad joke, but there actually were parrots at the Lincolnshire Wildlife Park that had to be removed from public view because they began swearing at the guests! The birds would swear to get a reaction from people. If the people didn’t react, the other parrots would laugh, egging on the whole situation and kick-starting the cycle again. 

How often do we need to think about the words we use? While foul language is certainly offensive to many people, it’s not the only way our words can hurt others. When we use our words to lie, we break down trust and respect. When we use our words to gossip, we cause hurt feelings and broken relationships. When we hurl insults back and forth, we forget we are talking about another human created in the image of God. When we insult one another, we insult God. 

Text talk

Teenagers now have a language all their own. Their series of abbreviations and the way they use words through text and other social media avenues often baffles adults. Also, they can alter the meaning of a text by adding or deleting one exclamation point. Careless use of words in this newer medium can crush feelings and destroy relationships, and many times the adults around them don’t understand why.   

Packed with power 

Words are powerful! So powerful that one of the heroes of the Netflix show based on comic books by the same name, The Umbrella Academy, uses only her words to defeat opponents. She simply says, “I heard a rumor . . . ,” and whatever she says next becomes the truth, sometimes causing others to harm themselves. 

Words can spur movements, and words can cause mayhem. The good news, however, is that God’s Word is still powerful and available to us through Scripture and responsible interpretation.

Question of the day: When was the last time someone used words to hurt you?
Focal scriptures: Proverbs 15:1-8; James 3;1-6, 13-18; Matthew 5:33-48

For a complete lesson on this topic visit LinC.