Powerful Words

I heard this story years ago and have always loved it. 

From "The Story Museum" Crown copyright 

Feathers in the wind

Once upon a time there was a woman who loved to gossip. Every day she would sit with her friends gossiping about the bad things others may have done. "Can you believe he did that?" "Can you believe she said that?" "And did you see what he was wearing? A man of his age..." On and on and on she would gossip. 

One day the Rabbi asked to see her. "There's something I want you to do for me," he told her. He gave her a cushion and told her to go outside, cut it open and release all the feathers to the wind. "But why?" she pleaded. "Just do as I ask," he told her. 

The woman went outside, slit the cushion open and released all the feathers to the wind where they were quickly blown far and wide and out of sight. 

'Now," said the Rabbi, "I would like you to go out and bring back all the feathers." 

"But I can't," she pleaded. "They've been blown from pillar to post, down the street, over the hill. I'll never be able to bring them all back." 

The Rabbi looked at her sternly. "And so it is with words and idle gossip," he told her. "Words once spoken can never be taken back. There is no telling how far they will travel and what harm they could do. From now on, I want you to think before you speak." And she did.

James 3 (NASB) The Tongue Is a Fire 3 Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment. 2 For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well. 3 Now if we put the bits into the horses’ mouths so that they will obey us, we direct their entire body as well. 4 Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires. 5 So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell. 7 For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race. 8 But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; 10 from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. 11 Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh. Blessings, Cecilia