BY KLAUS DÖRING
JOSEPH Telushkin (born 1948) is an American rabbi, lecturer, and bestselling author of more than 15 books, including volumes about Jewish ethics, Jewish literacy, as well as the book Rebbe, a New York Times bestseller released in June 2014.
Long time ago, Telushkin stressed, “If you can’t go for 24 hours without saying unkind things about others, you have lost control of your tongue”. He lectured on the awesome power of words.
He suggested taking a revealing “tongue test” to see where you stand. “Monitor your conversations for two days,” he said. Note every time you say something negative about someone, who is not present. Also record, when others do so, as well as your reactions, when it happens. Do you try to silence the speaker, or do you ask for more details?” Telushkin concluded, “Most of us who take this test are unpleasantly surprised.”
I found a wonderful description in Proverbs 6:16-19, relating to the causes and effects of damaging words: “Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies, and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.”
The power of words, written as well as spoken out, is a weapon, which can hurt – or kill! Writing with a wicked pen and having a sharp tongue doesn’t mean that all of us should walk disrespectfully through others life, Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom – even without a wicked pen and a sharp tongue!
Matthew 12:34 says, “Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.”
Another religious writer, Dave McCasland said, “The place to begin dealing with our words is inside our thoughts about others and us. If we accompany that with the a commitment to stop speaking hurtful words, we have begun a dramatic mid-course correction in life.”
Yes, careless words can really inflict wounds that last a lifetime. Kind words can bring healing and encouragement. Let’s accept this great challenge and think first before we open our mouth or before we start writing.
***
Email: doringklaus@gmail.com or follow me on Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter or visit my www.germanexpatinthephilippines.blogspot.com or www.klausdoringsclassicalmusic.blogspot.com./PN
