How might I hurt others without realizing it?

Proverbs 15:20Sensible children bring joy to their father; foolish children despise their mother.

Proverbs 17:21It is painful to be the parent of a fool; there is no joy for the father of a rebel.

Proverbs 19:13A foolish child is a calamity to a father; a quarrelsome wife is as annoying as constant dripping.

Ecclesiastes 8:9I have thought deeply about all that goes on here under the sun, where people have the power to hurt each other.

Ephesians 6:4Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.

Colossians 3:13Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.

Our potential for wounding others is greatest in our closest relationships, especially with members of our own family.

2 Kings 21:10-12Then the Lord said through his servants the prophets: “King Manasseh of Judah has done many detestable things. He is even more wicked than the Amorites, who lived in this land before Israel. He has caused the people of Judah to sin with his idols. So this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I will bring such disaster on Jerusalem and Judah that the ears of those who hear about it will tingle with horror.”

Joshua 7:24-25Then Joshua and all the Israelites took Achan, the silver, the robe, the bar of gold, his sons, daughters, cattle, donkeys, sheep, goats, tent, and everything he had, and they brought them to the valley of Achor. Then Joshua said to Achan, “Why have you brought trouble on us? The Lord will now bring trouble on you.” And all the Israelites stoned Achan and his family and burned their bodies.

Hebrews 12:15Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.

Sin rarely has singular consequences. Like a stone dropped in a pool, it has ever-widening circles of influence and consequence.

Job 6:25Honest words can be painful, but what do your criticisms amount to?

Psalm 64:3-4They sharpen their tongues like swords and aim their bitter words like arrows. They shoot from ambush at the innocent, attacking suddenly and fearlessly.

Proverbs 18:8Rumors are dainty morsels that sink deep into one’s heart.

2 Timothy 2:16-17Avoid worthless, foolish talk that only leads to more godless behavior. This kind of talk spreads like cancer, as in the case of Hymenaeus and Philetus.

Our words can be hurtful to others. They can fly out like poisoned arrows, and once shot, they cannot be retrieved. Whether we aim these words with intent to harm or not, they impact others’ lives. Even a glancing shot leaves a cut and allows poison to spread.

2 Samuel 19:5-7Then Joab went to the king’s room and said to him, “We saved your life today and the lives of your sons, your daughters, and your wives and concubines. Yet you act like this, making us feel ashamed of ourselves. You seem to love those who hate you and hate those who love you. You have made it clear today that your commanders and troops mean nothing to you. It seems that if Absalom had lived and all of us had died, you would be pleased. Now go out there and congratulate your troops, for I swear by the Lord that if you don’t go out, not a single one of them will remain here tonight. Then you will be worse off than ever before.”

How we react when we are hurt can cause hurt to others.

Exodus 23:8“Take no bribes, for a bribe makes you ignore something that you clearly see. A bribe makes even a righteous person twist the truth.”

Proverbs 29:5To flatter friends is to lay a trap for their feet.

Ephesians 4:25So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body.

Deception and manipulation hurts others, leads them into sin, and destroys trust.

Proverbs 10:26Lazy people irritate their employers, like vinegar to the teeth or smoke in the eyes.

Isaiah 2:22Don’t put your trust in mere humans. They are as frail as breath. What good are they?

We can hurt those who depend on us ost by taking advantage of them of taking them or taking them for grant ed.