"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words shall never hurt me" (Alexander William Kinglake, 1830). I wrestle with the wording of that famous rhyme. I believe the author was conveying the importance of ignoring insulting comments and how we should not let them cause us to quit, which is a very beneficial thought. Yet at the same time, there has to be a better way of expressing that message without saying “words shall never hurt me.” From what I can tell, words are just as painful as physical offensives and can often cause greater injury.
Solomon said it this…
