There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.

Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nailed for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The day passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence.

He said, "You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. They wound the inside not the outside. It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there."

"Remember, A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one."

Watch Out You Are Carrying A Deadly Weapon

Anger is deadly thing. It comes out at the strangest times and leaves wounded people all around us. We can hurt all kinds of people but oddly we tend to hurt the ones we love the most. They are the ones who usually fall victim to anger. . And most of the time that anger comes out in words.

Listen.. you are carrying a deadly weapon around with you. You are carrying it in your mouth. The bible says in James 3:5-10, that the tongue is a deadly weapon. It is small but full of evil and deadly poison. It says the tongue is a flame that ignite a raging fire storm and that we must be careful to control it.

We must be careful because words are so powerful.. and because they last forever. When we speak those angry words they inflict wounds on the heart. You can bruise your arm in a week or two it is gone and forgotten but bruise the heart.. wound the spirit and the scars last forever.

By the same token, words of encouragement can build a person up. They can change someone's day.. no.. listen.. they can change their lives. So let's be people who follow the Bible's instruction and use our tongues for good. Let's make a decision to control our selves and control our words. Let's be people who leave behind blessing not wounds. It begin by watching what you say.. and when you say it.

So let's remember the "nails in the fence" and be extra careful to watch what comes out of our mouths.. not words that hurt but words that bless.