The Words Of The Reckless

Yesterday afternoon, I went to my hairdresser intending to get my hair dyed, streaked, and trimmed. However, when the hairdresser asked me what I would like done, I suddenly changed my mind and told her to cut my hair instead of trimming it. However, during the dying process, I went back and forth on my decision, I think, at least a hundred times. Finally, I couldn't stand the turmoil any longer and told her to just forget about cutting my hair. Shockingly, she refused to compile. With a smile on her face and a scissors in her hand, she reassuringly told me that the cut was going to look great on me. As she started to cut, I cringed at a memory that still haunts me to this day.

When I was eighteen and in my first year of Bible College, my boyfriend at the time made a cruel comment about my hair. Out of anger and hurt, I irrationally went to the hair dresser to have my hair cut so short that it looked identical to my twin brother's. I instantly hated it! . . . and myself, for allowing a person's words to pierce my soul like that. Even after my boyfriend saw what I had done, there was never an apology or a compliment.

Yesterday, as I sat in the chair of that beauty salon, that horrible incident came back, to the extent that I was unable to relax and make a decision about my hair being cut.

Now that the ordeal is finally through, I can honestly say I love the end results! My hairdresser is wonderful!

It is sad that reckless words can pierce like a sword and haunt a person for many years. But it is also true that the tongue of the wise can bring so much healing.

The words of the reckless

pierce like swords,

but the tongue of the wise

brings healing."

Proverbs 12:18 (NIV)