Monday, September 5, 2011

The Nails


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 nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The days 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. 

You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say "I'm sorry", the wound is still there.

A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one. 


Friends, let us all be wise and careful about the words that we share.







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13 comments:

Anonymous said...

so true! And as a woman who suffers from this problem, this was a well deserved reminder that we are to be "slow to anger". Thank you for the reminder today. Your blog really blesses me every visit!

Kind regards, Julie

Becky C said...

love this story!! I've heard it a few different ways, but it's always so good every time!!!

June Fuentes @ A Wise Woman Builds Her Home said...

Julie and Becky,

Isn't this a great reminder? I have shared this story with my children as well so they can understand the damage of their words. But I agree, us mothers need it just as much!

Many blessings...

Mrs Mary Joy Pershing said...

Oh wow! I have to say that is powerful. I am actually posting an article about the power of the tongue and lashing out in anger and frustration and what God's Word has been teaching me...tomorrow. I would love to share a link to this article in it. Such a wonderful visual! Thank you for sharing it!

Blessings,

Mrs Mary Joy Pershing

June Fuentes @ A Wise Woman Builds Her Home said...

Dear Mary,

Would love for you to share it! Thanks for stopping by!

Many blessings...

Far Above Rubies said...

June, what a wonderful reminder. Thank you.

Tracy @ Hall of Fame Moms said...

Great visual reminder, thank you ;)

JayneJeane said...

Thank you for the story, I've never heard of it. I wonderful example of a father teaching his son & a reminder that words have a lasting effect.

Anonymous said...

Oh, such a sweet reminder. Thank you June for sharing it. I struggle with this daily. I feel I am constantly battling with speaking in an unkind tone with my children. Maybe I should get a fence and do the same thing this boy did!

Mikailah Autumn said...

That is so true... A wonderful reminder to love others as Christ loves us. Thank you for sharing this.

LeAnn said...

I really enjoyed this story. We do need to be careful to not injure another through verbal words.
Blessings to you for sharing this story.

Anna said...

This is so very true. Thank you for sharing.

Raising a Brood... said...

Wow, that's powerful and so true! Good reminder.

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