Word Velocity

We all grew up with the childhood mantra “Sticks and Stones may break my bones but, word can never harm me!” Our parents dutifully reminded up of this whenever we got our feelings hurt by a bully or even a playmate. I understand the idea that they didn’t want us to pushed around by insensitive, ignorant, and unkind people. But we also have to be aware of the internalized harm from such words.

It came to me in church this morning that what is missing in the understanding of words and their effect in people’s lives is something I will call the velocity of words.

One of your grandmother’s homemade quilts may easily weigh 7 or 8 pounds while a round from an AR-15 is less than 1 ounce. There is almost no way to throw a that quilt on someone with enough velocity to harm you. But that bullet because of its velocity can pierce skin and cause great harm. Words that are delivered to hurt can be thought of as having a greater velocity than words that are meant to encourage. A quilt on a cold night is the perfect thing. It is warm and envelops us in a almost loving a caring way. Even its weight is comforting to a degree. But even a cursory study of ballistics tells us that the velocity of ammunition has a great deal to do with the damage it causes.

This is why it is so important temper your words and how you use them. Especially toward those you are trying to help and build up. The velocity of your words even when they are true can cause irreparable damage. So it is have true the “sticks and stones will break your bones.” But words can and will cause great damage.

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