What is graffiti? Graffiti is writing or drawings scribbled, scratched, or sprayed unlawfully on a wall or other surface in a public place.
I’ve seen graffiti written on tombstones, buses, trains, subways, billboards, public washrooms, and over people’s pictures. I’m pretty sure you too may have been victimized by some unscrupulous people who also rides the bus with you.
Do you know many of us have been victims of very unkind words and acts scribbled, edged into our minds, and spray painted over our lives? It felt like someone throwing eggs in your face or someone breaking your windows that once protected you from the outside world.
Sometimes thoughtless words and slanderous comments get tossed into the atmosphere destroying one’s reputation? Words do hurt and break many good people’s spirits. Have you noticed how quickly gossip spreads while good news travel slowly and it hold little interest to the hearers. Escaping the graffiti or gossip crew is like trying to cross a busy highway hoping not to be hit by a speeding car.
Words do hurt and they are hard to be erased from the minds of wounded people. Our tongue is the smallest member of the body but has incredible power to destroy generations. Words spoken carelessly changes the way other people see the wounded and the hurt.
The saying ‘sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me’ has proven to be wrong. When graffiti and gossip talk – people listen. Listeners become judges and things spoken in secret are not easily forgotten.
“Perception unchallenged becomes reality.” Unknown.
Perception is how you see things and if no one questions it you will always think that the way you see it is right. What makes this sad is, you pass your perception on to others and if left unchallenged, it becomes their point of view too.
I don’t know who said this but it’s worth repeating here – “Should you ever find yourself the victim of other people’s bitterness, smallness, insecurities, remember things could be a lot worse you could be them.”
Proverbs 17: 9 says, ‘Whoever would foster love COVERS over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter SEPARATES close friends’.
There is hope if we ever find ourselves victims of graffiti or gossip – God orchestrates a host of angels to discredit every unkind word or act. Isaiah 54:17 says, “No weapon fashioned against you will succeed, and you may condemn every tongue that disputes with you.”
“Where there’s no wood the fire dies down, and where there’s no gossip the quarrel comes to an end.” Proverbs 26: 20-22
No matter how you feel today – YOU are a fine work of God’s art. Get up! Dress up! Show up! And never give up! Keep company with God, get in on the best that God has for you. Keep nothing back from God and He will validate your life right before the eyes of those who deceitfully use you.
When God stamps His approval on you will get to your destination on time. Forgive and choose kindness. If you find happiness, there will always be someone who think you are overconfident. But be happy anyway. Not everyone you love will love you back in the right way. But love them anyway. The good you do may be overlooked. Do good anyway. Your peace is worth the effort.
Be that kind of person who never gives up and who believes in herself.
Amazing Grace 