Sharp Words

Beck was talking on his phone as he walked into the house after school. "I'm not kidding, Jake! I heard Mrs. Simpson comes to school looking all bleary-eyed because she's an alcoholic. The kids say she sometimes stumbles over her words in class, and she…" Beck paused when he noticed his dad motioning for him to hang up. "Gotta go, Jake. My dad wants me for something. Bye." Beck hung up. "What is it, Dad?""You'll have to call Jake back and apologize for the gossip I just heard," said Dad. When Beck started to protest, Dad held up a hand. "Do you have any idea why Mrs. Simpson is having a hard time?"Beck shook his head. "I don't have her for any classes. I just see her in the hall sometimes, and the kids say she drinks a lot.""Well, you have no reason to believe that's true. The fact is that Mrs. Simpson's husband is very sick. She has to stay up many nights caring for him. No wonder she's tired.""Oh…I didn't know that." Beck looked truly sorry."Come with me--I want to show you something." Dad led the way to the garage. At his work table, he picked up a hammer and some nails. "Pound these nails about halfway into this board." Looking puzzled, Beck pounded the nails. "Okay," said Dad, "now pull them back out." Beck did so. "Look at this board. What do you see?" asked Dad.Beck glanced at the board. "Nail holes."Dad nodded. "Words can be as sharp as nails, Beck. When you use them the wrong way, they can hurt people. When that happens, you should apologize to the people you've hurt. Hopefully, they will forgive you. But even then, you can never take back all the harm you've caused."Beck nodded. "I get your point, Dad. I'll call Jake and tell him what I said was wrong.""Good," said Dad. "I think you need to confess your wrong to Jesus too. He always forgives, and He'll help you see others the way He does--people He loves so much that He has nail holes in His hands from when He died for our sins. That's the kind of love we need to reflect in the way we speak to and about others." -Mary Rose Pearson