Article by: Sarah Koontz, Founder of Living by Design Ministries
Do you remember the saying, “I’m rubber, you’re glue, whatever you say bounces off me and sticks to you?”
It was one of my favorite playground insults to toss around as a child, whenever kids said something I didn’t like, I just turned it back on them.
Unfortunately, I’m not made of rubber and their words did stick to me —the most hurtful clinging to my soul well into adulthood.
What negative words are you still carrying around from your childhood?
I’m sure it won’t take long for you to remember the insults carelessly tossed in your direction over the years.
Because everyone has a few unkind words glued to their soul.
Because everyone has a few unkind words glued to their soul...
Sticky Words
There are many rich benefits to settling in one’s hometown, where roots grow deep and branches stretch wide.
One of my favorite “benefits” is the ability to send my two girls to the same Christian elementary school I attended.
“Mommy, how do you know all the songs from chapel on Fridays?”
“Mommy, you mean that Mrs. Paul was your teacher too, when you weren’t old?”
“Mommy, how do you know all the people and where to find everything?”
I often joke that the day my husband and I decided to get married was also the day I informed him that we would be sending our children to Calvary Christian School.
Oh, if those walls could talk!
Although they have updated the playground equipment over the past 2 decades, some of my most vivid memories of elementary school happened at recess time.
Especially the frequent chanting of…“I’m rubber, you’re glue, whatever you say bounces off me and sticks to you!”
But we all know that saying isn’t true.
So these words, foolish and childish as they may be, stuck to my soul for years:
“We don’t want you to play with us.”
“Your hair looks funny.”
“You’re not very good at that.”
They don’t want me. I hate my hair. I’m not good at anything.
Very sticky words!
So what can we do about all these negative words that haunt our hearts and saturate our spirits?
God’s Healing Word
My husband always says that you’ve got to say ten nice things to counteract one unkind statement.
Isn’t that the truth?
Negative words are exceedingly sticky, while positive words are remarkably slippery.
Negative words are exceedingly sticky, while positive words are remarkably slippery.I’ve found that the best way to get all those nasty words unstuck from my soul is to spend some time in God’s Holy Word.
Because God’s words have the power to free us from each and every unkind word that has glued itself to our hearts.
Soak up these beautiful words, friend. Let them heal and restore your weary soul.
10 Truths about You from God’s Word
You are a new creation in Christ. {2 Corinthians 5:17}
You are God’s incredible work of art. {Ephesians 2:10}
You are greatly loved by God. {Romans 5:8}
You are not condemned by God. {Romans 8:1}
He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. {1 John 4:4}
You are holy and blameless in God’s eyes. {Ephesians 1:4; 1 Peter 1:16}
You have access to the peace that only God can provide. {Philippians 4:7}
You can do all things through Christ Jesus {Philippians 4:13}
You are an overcomer by the blood of the Lamb. {Revelation 12:11}
You are healed by the stripes of Jesus. {Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24}
God’s restorative words seep into the cracks of my heart and heal the wounds I have nursed for far too long.
I pray that they do the same for you.
God's restorative words seep into my heart and heal the wounds I have nursed for too long.
Closing Thoughts
Every morning, when I send my kids off to school, I remind them to be kind to the other kids on the playground.
Every afternoon, when I pick my kids up from school, I ask them what the best part of their day was and if anything happened at school to make them sad.
I cannot remember a time when their “something sad” revelation didn’t include unkind words tossed in their direction.
Negative words have sticking power —but God’s Word is more powerful than them all.
Negative words have sticking power —but God’s Word is more powerful than them all.We are no longer children playing tag at recess, tossing about words without thought or understanding.
We are old enough to know how much our words matter, how long they stick around, and how deeply impact our loved ones.
Our words have sticking power —they will cling to the souls of our “classmates” for decades.
They will cling to our spouse, our children, our friends, and our loved ones.
Speak life.
Speak truth.
Speak love.
“May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.” Psalm 19:4
