Holes in a Fence
“So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God” (James 1:19-20).
How many times have we been guilty of speaking words in anger, only to regret them afterwards? “If only I could take it back!” has been repeated countless times. Even if we apologize for our cruel remarks, the wounds we cause may not heal for some time. The following story well illustrates this point.
A young boy with a bad temper frequently said hurtful words to siblings, friends and occasionally his parents. Unfortunately, scoldings, spankings and time-outs did little good. So, his father tried something different. Every time his son made a mean remark, his father gave him a 6-inch spike to hammer into an old fence in the backyard.
The first day the boy drove eight spikes into the fence. That night, his hands bled and his arms ached. He then realized that it would be easier to hold his tongue rather than continue to drive those long spikes into the fence. Within a few days the number of spikes he drove into the fence declined to zero.
His father then commended him and suggested that they go out back and remove a few of the spikes. After doing so, the father said, "You’ve done well, son, and I am glad that you have learned to be careful with your words. But you also need to learn another lesson. See the holes in the fence? Although the fence stands, it's clearly marred by those holes. It's the same when we say something cruel and hurtful to others. Such words leave scars inside people. Even if we say, “I’m sorry!”, the damage may remain for some time. Always be careful with your words."
“There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, but the tongue of the wise promotes health” (Proverbs 12:18).
Building Faith that Sticks in 2026!
Dennis
“So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God” (James 1:19-20).
How many times have we been guilty of speaking words in anger, only to regret them afterwards? “If only I could take it back!” has been repeated countless times. Even if we apologize for our cruel remarks, the wounds we cause may not heal for some time. The following story well illustrates this point.
A young boy with a bad temper frequently said hurtful words to siblings, friends and occasionally his parents. Unfortunately, scoldings, spankings and time-outs did little good. So, his father tried something different. Every time his son made a mean remark, his father gave him a 6-inch spike to hammer into an old fence in the backyard.
The first day the boy drove eight spikes into the fence. That night, his hands bled and his arms ached. He then realized that it would be easier to hold his tongue rather than continue to drive those long spikes into the fence. Within a few days the number of spikes he drove into the fence declined to zero.
His father then commended him and suggested that they go out back and remove a few of the spikes. After doing so, the father said, "You’ve done well, son, and I am glad that you have learned to be careful with your words. But you also need to learn another lesson. See the holes in the fence? Although the fence stands, it's clearly marred by those holes. It's the same when we say something cruel and hurtful to others. Such words leave scars inside people. Even if we say, “I’m sorry!”, the damage may remain for some time. Always be careful with your words."
“There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, but the tongue of the wise promotes health” (Proverbs 12:18).
Building Faith that Sticks in 2026!
Dennis
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