Reckless Words Don't Define You
By Jamie Kent
“She won’t make it.”
“She won’t amount to anything.”
“She’ll never graduate—let alone hold down a job.”
These reckless and heartless words were spoken to my parents by a broken school system that had already decided my future. Although I never heard them directly, I felt their weight.
In elementary school, I was diagnosed with several disabilities, including ADHD, dyslexia, and others. I was falling behind academically, and school grew increasingly difficult. Assignments didn’t make sense. Math felt like a foreign language. Letters looked backwards. After my diagnosis, I began leaving the classroom every day for specialized help, and as a child, I didn’t understand why. At first, it felt like a special privilege—until recess came. My peers understood before I did, and the bullying began:
“You’re not like us!”
“Teacher’s pet!”
“Don’t get too close—you’ll catch the stupid!”
I had few real friends. I was quiet, and I mostly kept to myself.
Reckless words can leave deep wounds, and I’m sure many of you can relate. A cutting remark from a coworker. A joke from a friend that went too far. But what’s even more dangerous is when we start believing what others say about us instead of what God says about us.
From the beginning, God looked at His creation and called it very good.
“God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.” —Genesis 1:31
So if we are God’s “very good” creation, why do we believe we are less than? I know I’ve let reckless words and thoughts follow me into adulthood. For years, I avoided talking about my disabilities because I didn’t want to be seen as “different.” Only recently did God remind me that this is part of my testimony—and that I need to share it more.
So how do we overcome negative words and destructive thoughts? We meditate on God’s Word and let it take deep root in our hearts.
In his closing letter to the church at Philippi, Paul writes:
“Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” - Philippians 4:8
Paul is reminding believers to anchor their thoughts in God—not in what the world says. When we guard our hearts and minds, we become able to hear God’s voice above all others, the voice that calls us His. And when we tune into God’s voice, He drowns out every negative thought.
God reminds us:
• We are His (John 1:12)
• We are loved by God (1 John 4:10)
• We are saints (1 Corinthians 1:2)
• We are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17)
• We are His workmanship (Ephesians 2:10)
• We are friends of God (John 15:15)
This is only the beginning! Scripture is full of reminders of our identity in Christ, and I encourage you to search the Word and discover them.
Pastor Karl reminds us in his book The 7 Resolutions,
“What you think about today will be lived out in your life tomorrow. It is critical to understand who you are in Christ. If you’ve confessed your sin, surrendered your life to Jesus, and are led by the Spirit, you are rich beyond imagination. The real challenge is getting rid of a destructive or losing mindset.”
When we keep God’s Word at the forefront of our minds, we are prepared for the enemy’s attacks. A few weeks ago, I was trying to fall asleep, but my mind was overwhelmed with memories of failures and shortcomings. I tossed and turned, unable to shake the lies. I tried praying, reading, even doom-scrolling on my phone, but nothing helped. Then God reminded me of 2 Corinthians 10:5:
“We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
I repeated this verse over and over until I finally slipped into peaceful sleep. Since then, I’ve used it to silence self-loathing and negative talk.
Reckless words can have the power to hurt us—but they do not define us. Only God defines who we are and who we will become.
Those thoughtless words spoken to my parents and by bullies on a playground could have shaped me, but God had a different plan. I now embrace my disabilities as part of my story—my superpower. From time to time, I still get frustrated at my shortcomings, but I refuse to let them define me.
By God’s grace—and with the support of my parents—I graduated high school, then college, then seminary. Also, this week, I’m celebrating nine years at my current job.
Reckless words truly do not define us—God does.
God is good.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Reflect
Read Philippians 4:8 and 2 Corinthians 10:5.
Choose one of the verses above and write it on a note card as a reminder of who God says you are. Keep it somewhere you will see it often.
What change can you make to focus your thoughts on Christ daily?
Jamie Kent works in a Community Recreation Center and plans and implements programs for senior adults, children, and families. She also leads Bible studies, mentors young women, and helps lead worship. She holds a Master’s Degree in Ministry Leadership from Moody Theological Seminary, and her passion is to help others grow in their faith. Jamie resides in Waco, Texas, and in her free time, she enjoys playing guitar and crafting.