A group of frogs traveled through the forest, when suddenly two of them fell into a deep well. The others gathered around the hole, and when they saw how deep it was, they told the falls that, for practical purposes, they should be considered dead. However, they were still trying to get out of the hole with all their might. The others told them that such efforts would be futile.
Finally, one of the frogs listened to what the others said, gave up and died. The other continued to leap as hard as she could. The crowd shouted to him that it was useless but the frog continued to leap, with increasing force, until finally it left the hole. The others asked, "Did not you listen to what we were saying?" The frog explained that she was deaf, and believed that the others were cheering her from the edge to work harder and harder to get out of the hole.
The word has the power of life and death. A voice of encouragement to someone who feels discouraged can help you finish the day, while a negative word may end up destroying it. Anyone can say words that steal from others the spirit that allows them to continue fighting in the midst of difficult times. Let's be careful what we say, but especially with what we hear.