Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. Many will recognize this rhyme as one taught to them when they were a child. But is it true?
In recent years, posts on Facebook and Twitter along with Letters to the Editor and Rants to any paper in America often spew angry words and hate. In the vein of supposedly expressing their opinion and being helpful, writers name call, judge from afar without knowing both sides of the story, and are just plain mean. Reading the words would make most people cringe, yet the writer somehow believes this is acceptable behavior. Has a line been crossed?
The truth is, the words used to communicate with someone can either build them up or tear them down. Have we become a society filled with so much anger and insecurity that we need to tear others down in order to feel good about ourselves? Is there no other way to discuss an issue than to verbally attack another person?
This summer, popular singer/songwriter Taylor Swift took things to a whole new level when she released a song written in response to the hateful things said about every aspect of her life. "Shake It Off" skyrocketed to the top of the charts.
When asked about the meaning behind the lyrics of "Shake it Off," Swift told Rolling Stone magazine: "I've had every part of my life dissected -- my choices, my actions, my words, my body, my style, my music. When you live your life under that kind of scrutiny, you can either let it break you, or you can get really good at dodging punches. And when one lands, you know how to deal with it. And I guess the way that I deal with it is to shake it off."
Clearly, the song became an anthem for millions striving to shake off haters, players and fakers in their lives.
There is another saying many learned while growing up that says: "If you don't have anything nice to say, say nothing at all." Either many of us have forgotten the wisdom in that saying or a whole generation apparently never learned it.
Someone recently asked, "Why, oh, why can't this season last all year, where strangers are nice to each other and people seem to really care?" Country singer Alan Jackson, in his song "Let It Be Christmas," sings: "Let anger and fear and hate disappear. Let there be love that lasts through the year."
It seems many long for a time when we remember that all of us are people with hearts and minds. Some have had their hearts hardened over time and are kind of rough around the edges, while others are brokenhearted and filled with despair.
A new year is just around the corner. What would happen if we reminded ourselves daily that the words we speak and write have the power to incite anger, discourage and create distrust among people or to encourage, give hope, affirm and bring out the best in people?
It has been said that death and life are in the power of the tongue. In 2015, what kind of a place would this be if people were intentional about giving life through their words and actions?
Julie Baumgardner is the president and CEO of First Things First. Contact her at julieb@firstthings.org.