Slivers

If only our tongues were made of glass, how much more careful we would be when we speak.  Shaun Shane (?)

Ever drop a glass?  It shatters into a million pieces and the smallest sliver is razor sharp.  It will inflict pain just as much, maybe if not more, as the big pieces.  The minute it brushes the skin the response is to pull back from the immediate pain.  You all are smart, you can figure out where I'm headed with this.  :)
If we could feel in our hearts the effect our sharp words have on the hearts of those we speak to then perhaps we wouldn't chose to speak with shards of glass.  If only our tongues became what we are about to speak.  It would change things.  Imagine if your tongue became the sliver of glass that is about to cut into another person's soul and before you spoke it cut your mouth.  You, I know I would, think twice about speaking at that point.  Think carefully. How can you say what may need to be said but it doesn't cut into the soul of someone and still gets the point across?
Oh I'm so NOT there with this.  I'm careless and too often sharp and the moment I say something cutting I immediately feel regret and try to backtrack.  But that's a problem too.  Cuts take time to heal.  So I try to be aware and speak words of healing rather than words of wounding.  Because the fact is that we can speak hard truths with kindness and healing.  Think about it, I know I am.