Why do the words hurt?

We all know, despite the lyric we grew up with about sticks & stones, that words can hurt.

No matter if it I a conversation with a friend, a phrase from a sermon or something we hear on tv or the internet, words have the power to wound us deeply.

But, when you're hurt by something someone says, there's a number of things I think you should consider...

First, uncomfortably, you should ask the tricky question... Is it true?
Are you hurt because this piece of verbiage hit you straight in the conscious?

Second, are you more offended by who was saying it, not what was said?
Do these words hurt because they come from someone close to you, or, alternatively, because they come from a stranger who is removed from the context of your situation?

Third, are you hurt by the way the words were communicated, not necessarily their content?
Were you more grated by the tone than anything else?

Or, fourth, were you hurt because the person was just plain wrong?
It happens. People misspeak. People misunderstand. People Can be inconsiderate jerks.

But, while the hurt you might face in light of someone else's words is genuine, it makes sense to take a step back and analyze why these words have wounded you so...