July 14
The Power
of Words
"Anyone who mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker; anyone who gloats over disaster will not go unpunished."
Proverbs 17:5, NIrV
Casey had never thought of herself as a mean person. She liked to make people laugh, and when her friends started teasing Tim, it just seemed natural to join in. It wasn’t personal—at least, that’s what she told herself. Tim had always been an easy target. Ever since elementary school, his lisp made him stand out, and kids had laughed at the way he talked for as long as Casey could remember. Somewhere along the way, she had become one of them.
Tim had learned to keep quiet, but when teachers called on him, there was no way to avoid speaking. That was when the whispers and muffled giggles would start. Casey never really thought about how it made him feel. It was just something that happened, something that had always been. But after what happened in English class, she couldn’t stop thinking about it.
It was a normal day—Tim had been asked to read aloud, and as soon as he stumbled over a word, Casey had laughed. So did the rest of the class. Tim had shut his book, lowered his head, and gone completely silent. The teacher had scolded them, but it didn’t matter. Tim never looked up for the rest of the lesson.
That night, as Casey scrolled through her phone, she saw a post from one of her classmates. It said Tim had stopped coming to school. Someone commented that he was "probably too embarrassed to talk." Casey felt a pang of guilt. She thought back to all the times she had laughed at him. Not just once or twice, but for years. How many times had she made him feel small? How many times had she ignored the way his shoulders slumped, the way he tried to disappear into the background?
For the first time, she saw it for what it was—cruelty. And she had been part of it.
The next day, when she arrived at school, Casey made a decision. She spotted Tim sitting alone at lunch, staring at his tray. Taking a deep breath, she walked over and sat down.
"Hey, Tim," she said softly.
Tim barely looked at her.
She hesitated, glancing around to make sure her friends weren’t watching. She didn’t want them to think she was getting soft. "I… I just wanted to say I’m sorry," she said quickly. "For laughing at you. For everything. It wasn’t right."
Tim looked up, confused. For a moment, Casey thought he was going to tell her to leave. Instead, he just nodded. "Thanks," he mumbled.
Casey nodded too, unsure of what else to say. She wanted to do the right thing, but she didn’t want anyone else to know. What if her friends thought she was weak? What if they started teasing her instead?
As she got up to leave, she realized something: she had spent years caring about what her friends thought, but had never once considered how Tim felt.
That night, she whispered a small prayer.
"God, I don’t want to hurt people anymore. Please help me be better."
The next day, when her friends made a joke at Tim’s expense, Casey didn’t laugh.
She still wasn’t sure what they would think of her if she stopped going along with them. But for the first time, she cared more about doing what was right than fitting in.
Prayer:
Dear God,
Thank You for opening my eyes to the power of my words.
I confess that there have been times when I’ve spoken thoughtlessly, not considering how my words affect others.
Please forgive me for the times I’ve hurt others with my speech.
I pray that You would give me a heart of compassion and wisdom so that I can build others up with my words.
Help me to recognize the worth of every person, remembering that we are all made in Your image.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
