Words Will Never Hurt Me
By Allan E. McNabb

The childhood rhyme, Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me, has a long history of helping children deal with bullying.

We Individually Control the Effect
You may be like me. I learned the rhyme when I was a child, and then taught it to my children.  I’ve even used it as an adult, to remind me that people’s words can’t hurt me unless I let them.  I can’t control people and what they say, but I can control the effect their words have upon me.

Not long ago, some kids were playing and harmlessly teasing one of their peers.  I went up to the one being annoyed by her friends and said, “If you don’t let it bother you, they’ll quit.  They’re only teasing you because it bothers you.”

In other words, you can control the effect their words have upon you.  If you don’t let it have a negative effect, they’ll usually stop.

A Man Called Me the Devil
A few years ago, I took my car to the repair shop.  I spoke to a man who dropped off a van, and he began telling me about miracles.  I told him I didn’t believe people could perform miracles today.  Then he turned and hurried off, repeatedly turning around and calling me the devil.

I admit, hearing someone call me the devil made me hesitate and contemplate the words.  But then I silently laughed, amused by what happened, feeling sorry for the man.

I decided not to let his words bother me, seeing the humor in such an event and replaying it in my mind — a man running from me, turning around and calling me the devil.  The saddest thing, though, is that he really thought I was the devil, because I told him the truth.

Listen to Jesus
The Jews accused Jesus of being Satan (Matt. 10:25), an event He used to teach His disciples not to fear men.

Jesus teaches us that people maligned Him; and they’ll malign us, His disciples — we can’t expect people to treat us better than they treated our Lord (Matt. 10:25).

In teaching us this lesson, Jesus gives this command, “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matt. 10:28).

When people malign us, we should remember Jesus’ teaching on this topic.

• We should remember that this behavior is common.  It happened to Jesus, and it’ll happen to us (Matt. 10:24-25).
• God knows what is happening and will take care of us (Matt. 10:29-31).
• Don’t fear men, fear God (Matt. 10:28).

Focus on Your Relationship With God
No matter what others do, our job is to focus on our relationship with God.  This is a lesson Peter teaches from Jesus’ persecution and suffering, saying, “nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously” (1 Pet. 2:22-23).

The childhood rhyme, Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me, teaches a valuable lesson everyone should remember, even Christians.  Words can’t hurt us, unless we let them.