We should agree by now that the quote we learned as kids: “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me” are false. Actually, sometimes we would be fortunate to have broken a bone than bruised the soul or psyche.
In the final installment of “ROCKY BALBOA” we find Stallone shooting the breeze at a bar that he rarely frequented in his hometown of Philly. It was always ironic to me that the “City of Brotherly Love” produced so many fighters! While minding his own business a young teenager approaches him and begins to berate him for no reason. Over the years, I have learned that sometimes your success can scare the daylights out of others. Your gift may bring the best out of you but sometimes it extracts the worse from others. After her hurtful remarks to Rocky when she leaves; ironically his head is still ringing as if he endured another avalanche of assaults from Apollo Creed. When Balboa gets his bearings back he realized that the lady behind the counter is an acquaintance from years gone by.
Rocky says: “Yo, do I know you?” She doesn’t remember him at first but he then replies: “You’re little Marie.” Rocky in the original film walked her home one night because streets are no place for a kid. Rocky remembers a negative word that she (when she was much younger) said to him. She was blown away that he would remember her much less the words she said some three decades earlier.
Rocky, went on to say: “Insults last a long time.” The fact is there is great power in the spoken word. The accuser never lost a wink of sleep over what she carelessly said to the soon to be champion of the free world but truth be told I bet not a day went by that either her words or the negative remarks of another rung Rocky’s bell like no opponent in the ring before or since.
Perhaps that is why the Bible notes: “We will have to give an account for EVERY idle word spoken out of our mouth.” I was taught as a child, if you don’t have anything nice to say – “DON’T SAY ANYTHING.” Just being real, I must admit that I have failed a few times but the older I get I am trying to do my best to take the high road (especially with my remarks). The Bible also says: “To let our words be few.” Maybe my next post will be less than 500 words 🙂
A milkman in the early 1970’s, would say “hello” to a five year old girl with big blue eyes and beautiful blonde hair. When he walked by on his weekly route he would tap her on the head as she played in the yard while dropping milk off on her front porch. He always said the same words: “Hello, Miss America.” She would smile with a grin the size of Georgia and continue to play and jump rope with her friends. Day after day, week after week when the milkman came by he said the same thing: “Hello, Miss America.”
Years, went by and the milkman’s job unfortunately became obsolete with his deliveries but those words danced in her head like a teen on a trampaline. In the early 1990’s that young little girl matured into a southern belle and was crowned Miss America from the Peach State. Most likely, that milkman didn’t see the future with her waving to the world with a sash across her shoulder as she beamed with beauty talking about “world peace” – or did he? We don’t know but the fact is those positive words sown in her life as an adolescent reaped a harvest for her as an adult.
Recently, Evangelist Perry Stone showed a scientific experiment on world-wide television where a scientist had two containers of rice. The scientist had a label placed on the outside of both bottles and after 81 days he revealed his findings. Both containers had the same amount of rice in the cup and after the time alloted he displayed that one bottle had the rice in tact with very little deformation. However, the second cup was filled with fungus that made the stomach turn to look at. He then turned the containers to face the television viewing audience and on the cup that still had the rice looking fresh after 81 days the label had words scribbled from a child: “I LOVE YOU LITTLE RICE. I HOPE YOU HAVE A NICE LIFE and LIVE LONG.” The one filled with fungus had a note that read: “I HOPE YOU DIE!” The lesson speaks for itself.
The Bible notes: “We find life and death in the power of our tongue.” It also notes: “Our mouth speaks both blessings and cursings.” This should not be. Jesus said: “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” Friends, some of us need a CHECK UP from the NECK UP and our words should be seasoned with honey not spoiled with hypocrisy.
It has been said: “If one yells at a tree long enough that it will die.” I have not yelled long enough to test that hypothesis but I do know that if words can cripple a soul-less and heart-less grain of rice imagine what our words do to humans in our presence. In case you MISSED the MEMO: Life is a fight but we don’t have to battle everyone in our path. Today, we have the milkman in one corner who was a winner with words and built folks UP or we can resemble the reckless rehetoric of a negative wannabee who tore others down. Why be a chump when you can be a champ! WORDS are WONDERFUL until you use them to hurt others. Don’t delay – BLESS someone today!
I so agree Frank!
Good stuff Frank!
Frank, you are profoundly simple and SIMPLY PROFOUND
I thank God for these simple but powerful messages. God is so awesome! thank you brother from another mother but of the same Father. Isaiah 55:11
Frank, I saw you speak in Ohio last year and I am amazed that you took time out of your schedule to contact me and see how I was doing. Thank you brother – you’re unreal.
Frank, this is a WONDERFUL article! I highly recommend everyone to read…”well said”!
“I am always amazed at the things GOD gives you to make a statement for Him no
matter what the subject.”
Frank, I bet you could preach the phone book and someone would get saved
So great luv that u r right about the tree – crazy to think that right? But its true there’s so little about Gods planet and the life on it that we know its a mystery!
I didn’t realize u were such a big Rocky fan that’s great! God bless
I printed this so I could glue it in my journal. I am so guilty of hasty/careless words, and I need prayer and constant practice to keep my mouth shut!
Thank you,
Susie Wakeland
Lampasas Texas
Dear Frank,
I was so very moved after reading the letter posted about Michael Jackson in regards to you hoping he had things straight with the Lord before his passing. I strongly agree! Honestly, I was moved to tears after reading your past MJ posts.
I am 41 years old and was saved at age 12 and baptized @ age 15. I was brought up and very active in a Baptist church but honestly never felt I was learning true scripture nor the desire to memorize for a tool of witnessing!
I always loved revivals because I saw teens from school who I “felt” were probably lost by their lack of fruit. I would also see people that appeared lower income or maybe their hair-do’s were gang looking or tatoos would be on their skin. It gave me goosebumps in an awesome way! I could be wrong but I “felt” as if the stronger people of the church would give them a smile and say welcome but didn’t really feel compfortable with their presence in our church.
Sadly, as a result this was my excuse for staying out of church for 18 years. I often thought of God and would on occasion pray to Him and do confess the sinners’ prayer of admitting that the blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God is how we are all saved from our sins by God’s mercy and grace! Also by asking Jesus/God (trinity) to come into our hearts and be our only God!
When Michael Jackson passed, no one at church spoke of hisdeath and to bring him up at church was a subject dropped. I have a very tender spot in my heart for that sweet man because of his deep desire to make that change and to heal the world! His charity work was more than writing a check out…he visited these dying children personally. That couldn’t have been fun to Michael but his compassion took him there and inspired much of his music. I find it very difficult to swallow that he ever harmed a child as well.
I’m not blind, I realize “Thriller” and other songs were secular and there were questionable dance moves but thank God for being a forgiving Father! But after Michael Jackson’s passing I kept having these urges to research his life deeper.
I watched at the movies “This Is It” and herd several very humble “God bless you’s” from Michael. I looked up each of his interviews: Heraldo, Oprah, Diane Sawyer, 60 min and Barbara Walters. He says God is the reason for himself helping the children and poor because being a good samaritan is what God commands. He also remembers to mention the need to care for our elderly as well. There was once a secular music group called “Ambrosia” and a man from the band named David (forget last name) invites Michael over for dinner and Michael shares with him that he is a Christian and “Jesus loves the little children” is one of his favorite songs. That is very encouraging and I do hope Michael had a personal relationship with our HEAVENLY FATHER and also know for a fact the Bible says where we spend eternity is based on our decision we make here on earth of faith alone in the plan of salvation.
I strongly agree Michael’s charity work is wonderful but sadly not payment enough to be allowed into Heaven as so many millions of people think. That hurts me inside so bad that I mourn for (not just Michael passing because he may be in Heaven as only God knows) but I hurt for the people that are going to keep that appointment with satan himself and burn in Hell forever and ever in eternity. I have even read people’s posts on the net saying “oh well if I go to Hell at least I will die and won’t hurt too long!” You never die in Hell,do you? People are so blind to the truth and the Bible even predicts this!
Let me share with you what reading about Michael’s lyrics and interviews have done for me!!! I am reading my Bible and excited to do so!! I am learning about where to find scripture in the Bible to answer questions relating to homosexuality and how God will not tolerate this horrible sin, I am learning about how King David commited murder of Bathsheba’s husband to be with her for sinful reasons and got her pregnant before her husband was even dead. I am learning about how strong God’s love is for us and His strong desire to have communication with us and wants to hear our problems. (I know many people that think their phscyciatrists care by pumping them with anti-depressants and some people do have chemical imballances but I see so much abuse here!) God is my anti-depressant! I have learned how very simple the plan of salvation actually is and that confuses people in this dog eat dog world we live in today! The list goes on and on. I am now looking for a non denominational church that my husband and me and our children can blossom in the Lord together! I don’t want to argue over the rights and wrongs over the Bible but rejoice over one fact that the plan of salvation is the sole importance of God’s plan!!!
God bless you Frank and I am hoping to get an opportunity to work for Franklin Graham’s Samritan Purse. Praying for you and your family and thanks again. I look forward to meeting you in Heaven one day.