Be Ye Kind One to Another...By Using Kind Words (5)

Remember, it is Not Just What You Say

It is important to understand that it is not just what we say but how we say it. Not only do people listen to the words which we use but also the tone in which we say them. Take for instance, a couple is having a dispute over who is going to wash the dishes. Finally, the wife screamed, “I WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO WASH THE DISHES FOR US!” Does she really mean it? Most likely she does not. Our tone is just as important when we use kind words. Solomon wrote, “A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger” (Proverbs 15:1). Even if we say something nice, if our tone is hateful the end product will not be so great. Our tone of voice will show our true feelings on a subject. Sincerity goes a long way. While preaching on the phrase “Love the Brotherhood” found in 1 Peter 2:17, a friend spoke of Thumper from Disney’s Bambi. We remember Thumper had some not so nice words when his mother made him recite the familiar phrase, “If you can’t say nothing nice, don’t say nothing at all.” He took that phrase a step further. He said, “If you can’t say anything nice and be sincere about it, don’t say anything at all.”