DAY 11: WORDS #25WordAdventPrayers For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned. — Matthew 12:37 The old saying goes, “sticks and stones can break my bones, but words will never hurt me” and as a defense mechanism, this can sometimes be helpful to remember — at least at a very technical level. That said, we also know that words can indeed cause harm to others. Charges of being “over-sensitive” or “politically correct” are often leveled at those who challenge the ways in which we use language to marginalize others, incite violence, and generally challenge others to be responsible for the impact and repercussions of their words on others. Because I believe that the words we use matter, I for one will always err on the side of speaking words that at their worst do no harm, and at their best, build up the other. The words we use have an impact on people: both words of hate as well as words of kindness, so I will always choose the latter. God with u...