THE POWER OF THE POINTED FINGER

Three weeks ago I wrote on the power of words.  This week it is the finger that has power.  Now.  Now.  NOT that finger.  This finger:

The ever present pointing finger.  A finger, in this position, has been around a very long time.  It started in a garden.

The man said, “The woman you put here with me –

she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”

The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

The power of finger pointing continued. 

“Do not be angry, my lord,” Aaron answered.

“You know how prone these people are to evil.

They said to me, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. ……

 Then they gave me the gold and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!”

Aaron not only pointed his finger at everyone else, he said the calf just came out of the gold tossed into the fire. 

But sometimes, the finger is pointed by someone and is aimed at you.

Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him.

 

“You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said.

With an accusing finger pointed at him, Peter answered,

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Yes, finger pointing has been around since that apple was plucked from the tree.  

THE COMBINED POWER OF THE POINTED FINGER AND WORDS

 When combined with words, the pointed finger has the power to damage the soul --

It is your fault.

If you had only done a better job.

You are no good.

AND THIS DAMAGE STAYS IN THE SOUL FOREVER!

When combined with words, the pointed finger has the power to bring joy to the soul --

You have a beautiful smile.

What a great job you did.

You are so kind.

AND THIS JOY STAYS IN THE SOUL FOREVER!

THE COMBINED POWER OF THE POINTED FINGER AND WORDS

The question is:  Will your words and pointed finger be used to damage a soul or to bring joy to a soul?