Rubber and Glue
Rubber and Glue
When we were kids, there used to be this rhyme we’d say whenever someone said something we don’t like. It used to be the line that would end the argument or disagreement. We really thought it worked. We probably stuck our tongue out at the other person after saying it too. You know, real classy stuff. Here’s the line… “I’m rubber, you’re glue. Whatever you say bounces off of me and sticks to you.”
There was another saying we used to say or were told as well… “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” It’s cute and funny thinking back to that time. Little did we know how wise we were at such a young age. You see, both lines had to do with accepting or rejecting words from others.
Let’s take the first saying first, then work through to the second…
In the first line, “I’m rubber, you’re glue,” we’re trying to establish who is who. We’re trying to tell someone who I am and who they are. We’re trying to give context to the characters so we can accept or reject the content that’s coming. Because the reality is, both are true, and we are all both.
At times, we should all be rubber and we should all be glue. We should allow words to bounce off of us and we should allow others to stick to us. We are all rubber and glue, but we get to decide which one we are whenever people say things to us.
Here’s a little inside scoop to life for you… Not everything people say is true… I know, I know. Shhhh don’t let that secret out. Here’s another one… often times, people project their hurt, feelings, emotions, situations, trauma, and problems onto others through their words. This is why it’s so important to be selective with what you let bounce off and what you let stick.
The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 10:5 to “take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ.” (NIV) And even if someone says something to you, you must first think about it before giving a response - before letting it bounce or stick. But it also includes your thoughts about you. Because what you tell yourself might be more important than what others say to or about you. And what God says about you is absolutely more important than what anyone says to or about you - including you.
Which brings us to the second line about sticks and stones. Whoever came up with that is simply just wrong and also seemingly endured some pretty harsh beatings in their life. I’ve never broken a bone but it seems like it really hurts, and I really don’t want to go through that if I don’t have to. And whoever came up with that is just flat out wrong because words do hurt. Often times, psychological pain (words) hurt much deeper and much longer than physical pain.
This is why we take every thought captive. We take every word captive. We take everything we think and everything we hear, captive. Because captives don’t get to do what they want, they do what they’re told. So should be our thoughts, and who we listen to.
Words are weighted. Some words burden while others lighten. Be careful what you say to both others… and yourself.
One way we can do that for ourselves is to talk to ourselves but not listen to ourselves. When we listen to ourselves it’s usually the whining and complaining and negative talk. When we talk to ourselves we are usually trying to talk ourselves into something, or like David (one of many examples) in 1 Samuel 30:6, we can encourage ourselves in the Lord.
At a time when David’s men were so upset with him that they talked about stoning him, he chose to talk to himself and encourage himself in the Lord. Not in his own strength. Not even in his own words. He strengthened himself in the Lord. Where we get our self-talk from is important.
Words have the power to construct or destruct. To build or break. To encourage or discourage. To grow or grind. To heal or hurt.
The wisdom found in Proverbs 18:21 rings true throughout history and especially today. It says that “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” The tongue holds a lot of power. It makes many boasts. If both life and death are within our words then we need to understand this about both - maybe not immediately, but inevitably.
One thing I’ve realized when it comes to words is this… words are important. God could have thought the universe into existence. But he didn’t. He spoke it. And if words are this important to God, how much more so should they be to us?
So if you’re a negative Nancy or Ned, consider the source of where your words are coming from. Consider looking at what God says about you in His Word. And consider speaking what He says about you over your life. And then keep speaking those things over your life. Because words are important. So it’s important to use the right ones. To both others, and yourself…
When we were kids, there used to be this rhyme we’d say whenever someone said something we don’t like. It used to be the line that would end the argument or disagreement. We really thought it worked. We probably stuck our tongue out at the other person after saying it too. You know, real classy stuff. Here’s the line… “I’m rubber, you’re glue. Whatever you say bounces off of me and sticks to you.”
There was another saying we used to say or were told as well… “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” It’s cute and funny thinking back to that time. Little did we know how wise we were at such a young age. You see, both lines had to do with accepting or rejecting words from others.
Let’s take the first saying first, then work through to the second…
In the first line, “I’m rubber, you’re glue,” we’re trying to establish who is who. We’re trying to tell someone who I am and who they are. We’re trying to give context to the characters so we can accept or reject the content that’s coming. Because the reality is, both are true, and we are all both.
At times, we should all be rubber and we should all be glue. We should allow words to bounce off of us and we should allow others to stick to us. We are all rubber and glue, but we get to decide which one we are whenever people say things to us.
Here’s a little inside scoop to life for you… Not everything people say is true… I know, I know. Shhhh don’t let that secret out. Here’s another one… often times, people project their hurt, feelings, emotions, situations, trauma, and problems onto others through their words. This is why it’s so important to be selective with what you let bounce off and what you let stick.
The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 10:5 to “take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ.” (NIV) And even if someone says something to you, you must first think about it before giving a response - before letting it bounce or stick. But it also includes your thoughts about you. Because what you tell yourself might be more important than what others say to or about you. And what God says about you is absolutely more important than what anyone says to or about you - including you.
Which brings us to the second line about sticks and stones. Whoever came up with that is simply just wrong and also seemingly endured some pretty harsh beatings in their life. I’ve never broken a bone but it seems like it really hurts, and I really don’t want to go through that if I don’t have to. And whoever came up with that is just flat out wrong because words do hurt. Often times, psychological pain (words) hurt much deeper and much longer than physical pain.
This is why we take every thought captive. We take every word captive. We take everything we think and everything we hear, captive. Because captives don’t get to do what they want, they do what they’re told. So should be our thoughts, and who we listen to.
Words are weighted. Some words burden while others lighten. Be careful what you say to both others… and yourself.
One way we can do that for ourselves is to talk to ourselves but not listen to ourselves. When we listen to ourselves it’s usually the whining and complaining and negative talk. When we talk to ourselves we are usually trying to talk ourselves into something, or like David (one of many examples) in 1 Samuel 30:6, we can encourage ourselves in the Lord.
At a time when David’s men were so upset with him that they talked about stoning him, he chose to talk to himself and encourage himself in the Lord. Not in his own strength. Not even in his own words. He strengthened himself in the Lord. Where we get our self-talk from is important.
Words have the power to construct or destruct. To build or break. To encourage or discourage. To grow or grind. To heal or hurt.
The wisdom found in Proverbs 18:21 rings true throughout history and especially today. It says that “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” The tongue holds a lot of power. It makes many boasts. If both life and death are within our words then we need to understand this about both - maybe not immediately, but inevitably.
One thing I’ve realized when it comes to words is this… words are important. God could have thought the universe into existence. But he didn’t. He spoke it. And if words are this important to God, how much more so should they be to us?
So if you’re a negative Nancy or Ned, consider the source of where your words are coming from. Consider looking at what God says about you in His Word. And consider speaking what He says about you over your life. And then keep speaking those things over your life. Because words are important. So it’s important to use the right ones. To both others, and yourself…
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