Be careful of and never underestimate the power that your words can have on others. A word... A sentance... an thought expressed verbally that can never be unsaid. Always think on the fact that others who listen will be effected by what you say.

There was a meeting in church this morning. A congregational meeting. A bad one. For an hour, the congregation who had been worshiping together just before, was factioned and at each other's throats. There were arguments and accusations and many tears from many people who don't often cry. A memeber of the youth group stood and, through sobs, told the adults that they were behaving like children. And at the last minute, I stood and spoke.

I didn't have anything to say about the church budget. I, thankfully, didn't even get a vote on the God-forsaken thing. But I did have an issue that I wanted to address. I stood and told everyone that the church was two parts. That it was certainly a buisness, but also a theological organization. And that while we argue as a buisness, we must... MUST be able to immedietly afterwards, look at each other and smile as people. Must be able to forget that we disagreed as buisnessmen and just love each other as men. If we can't do that, then we are not a church at all, and have lost all sight of why we are there in the first place. We aren't at Spirit of Joy to be a buisness. We are at Spirit of Joy and have the unfortunate side effect of also having to deal with buisness.
I ended with a quote from Abraham Lincoln's Innaugural Address:
"We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained we must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory will swell when again touched, as surely they will be by the better angels of our nature."
And I walked out to check on the youth who had been so effected.

I stayed out through the remainder of the meeting and left church soon afterwards. And although I have thought of little else all day, I know that I am one of the least effected people in the congregation. That I am one of the few who will have not the desire but the ability to, in the end, overlook all of this.
Late this afternoon, I received an e-mail from one of the members of the church... one which he sent to everyone. In this e-mail, he began by apologizing. He apologized for his weakness, for his shortcomings... and for "[allowing] the emotion, the youth, and a very true and astute observation from our youth minister sway me to stand for church unity rather than what I truly believe to be true."

And while I by no means doubt what I said, nor recant or regret it. I am struck by the awesome power that words can do. This wonderful young man is leaving our church... not entirely based on what I said, but partially because of the effect my words had on him.
I shall forevermore be hesitant to speak words that, even though they sound harmless in my own ears, may wield a force more powerful than I am prepared to unleash.

Sticks and stones my ass. Words are the weapons of civilization.