I didn’t get a post out yesterday because we had a minor crisis at our house. My daughter discovered water coming up through the floorboards of her basement apartment. This is never a good thing.
I finally tracked the source of the problem to a slow leak in the supply valve to the tub upstairs. It had been slowly dripping through an opening in the floor into a downstairs cabinet for probably several weeks and had now spread under the laminate flooring in the basement.
It’s amazing how much damage a little water can do. By the end of the day I’d torn out the cabinet, part of the ceiling, and ⅓ of the flooring. It was a mess! An expensive mess!
Like those little drops of water, it is amazing the damage little words can do. A few whispered criticisms or angry words, spoken in the heat of the moment, can wound deeply and leave permanent scars. Poorly chosen words can lead to hurt feelings and permanently damaged relationships. It’s no wonder James says the tongue “is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.” (James 3:8 NIV).
But, while unkind words can wound, “an encouraging word cheers a person up.” (Proverbs 12:25 NLT). Kind words can heal a broken heart, soothe an anxious soul, and build bridges between people, and even nations.
As you interact with others today, remember little words, like little water drops, can have a huge impact, for good or evil, in someone else’s life. No matter who you’re talking to, “let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.” (Ephesians 4:29).
Have a Happy Sabbath!