JESUS LOVES YOU!

It depends on which words we select. Sometimes we say something and hurt others without us even knowing it, even if we didn’t mean to. And sometimes, we know they hurt and don’t care. Maybe, we wanted our words to hurt. Sometimes we just don’t think before we say them. Or write them. Or don’t care. Some of us hurry our words. Some of us take our sweet time and think before we use the words we choose. And then, sometimes we never use any words at all. We never call that special someone and tell them we love them or that we were just simply thinking about them.

Some of us, we are strong. Words never hurt us. Well, not really. We’ve been through worst. Flying bullets? Yeah, now that hurts, if one hits us. Burns and sizzles right to the bone. Oh, so painful. To some, words are flying bullets. Words hurt them for the rest of their lives. They never heal. Their wounds just never close up. And you can’t always see those scares that came from hurting words. Sometimes we say or write things that hurt somebody and we can never bring those words back again. Never. We shot them. We can say we are sorry. But sorry just doesn’t heal. Sometimes, that person we hurt passes on to the other side and with them goes those words we said to them. They never forgot, those hurting words, even though we may have forgotten we ever said them. They remembered those words, even years down the road and they took those words with them when they moved on. Then we feel guilty. We wish we never had said them. We feel so bad, so sorry. But it’s too late. Our words will never come back. The only thing we can do is think before we say those hurting words to someone else next time. In that, we grow, we learn, but somebody else paid the price. But words of love, we never have to bring them back. We  have plenty more were they came from. And no matter how many times we say words of love, we just never seem to say them enough.

Words. Words can be like music. Sometimes they sing. Sometimes... well, sometimes, they boom. Like a drum. Pounding and pounding and banging and banging. Over and over again. Words can be a lot of noise. Or, words can be like magic to someone’s ear. They long to hear those words you say. Other times, they already know what you are going to say. Because, they’ve heard those words before. Like the drum. The drum that never changes its beat. Never makes a song, just all that noise. Like some households were there is never music in the words, just beating drums with the same old beat.

We use words toward complete strangers. We use words to those we love. We use words with those we just happen to know because they are in our lives. Family, friends, complete strangers and all those in between. What would we do without words? A lot of us would be lost. Others, well... they might enjoy the lack of words. And still others might miss those words they enjoy seeing or hearing so much. Like words of love, and kindness and joy. Words of compassion. Words expressing care. Words that just say, "Hey, I’m here... I’m your friend, I’ll listen to your words anytime!" Words that tells stories. Words that sing a song. Words that teach and words that tell us how to get along. Words we learn from. Words we share. Oh, there are so many words. And words, can make or break a heart.

We use words to express ourselves. Some of us do a better job than other in selecting our words and telling someone what we think. Some of us don’t express ourselves very well. And, sometimes, someone else takes what we said completely different than what we meant.

Words are like paintings. They are like music. They are like art. Some of us have a way with words. We can be socreative. Others, well, just need tokeep trying,that’s all. But one thing for sure, words, like paintings and music and all sorts of art mean different things to different people. Three people can look at a painting and have three different opinions or ideas of what the painter was trying to express. The same holds true with words, sometimes.Sometimes as readers or listeners we agree with the writer or one speaking and sometimes we don’t. And then, of course, we may be undecided.

Words have so much meaning, if they are the right chosen words. Sometimes they are so full of just the right things to make somebody feel good. Other times our words are empty and the only thing that someone else feels is a great bigache in their heart.

I remember a long time ago, this public message came on TV at the end of the broadcast day, late at night. Back then, you were lucky if you had all three TV stations. Rabbit ear antennas and lots of snow. Absolutely black and white. Why color wasn’t even in someone’s mind yet then. TV itself hadn’t been around all that long. Radio was the way you heard things before TV came along. So, a TV was a big deal. There were lots of public broadcast messages at the end of the day in those early decades of TV before the station signed off for the night. Like, "Have you hugged your kids today." and "It’s eleven o’clock, do you know where your children are?"

The one I really liked, it went something like this, "Have you told someone you loved them, today?"

I can’t improve on those words, folks.

Thanks for joining me. God Bless You.

And always remember, JESUS LOVES YOU!

RIVER