Deadly Arrows
“Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked…They sharpen their tongues like swords and aim their words like deadly arrows, bitter words”. Psalm 64:2-3.
Arrows in the olden days’ battle are like missiles in today’s armed conflicts. It was a deadly part of a victorious king’s armoury.
The key to this weapon was the range it could cover, its adaptability and just like missile warheads, the tip could be enhanced. It can either be poisoned, fitted with a metal spear-like head or lit up like a torch with deadly effect.
The size, power, and stretch of the bow was the key to its distance and in the steady hands of a master archer, their effect was devastating.
Now notice that deadly arrows like missiles have been compared with bitter words. Unkind comments that we make regarding other people can be very deadly. No wonder scripture says “Death and Life are in the tongue…” Prov.18:21.
We must be mindful of what we say to people around us. Our words either lift or cast down the hearts and spirits of others.
Agents of restoration speak words seasoned with grace and coated with faith. We speak the truth in love.
Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ” Ephesians 4:15.
We do not always choose our audience and we may not like everyone who comes to us, but our calling is to speak words that will help the hearer to access God’s grace, which are the secret seeds for restoration.
Ephesians 4:29 “Do not let unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what helps build others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.