In our world today the visible picture has taken it’s place of preeminence in our lives. We’ve all heard the saying “a picture is worth a thousand words” and in a certain sense this is true. But on the other hand nothing is more powerful than words. God created the heavens and the earth with words. Words are the glue and the stuff of our relationships. Words teach, build and destroy. Words can be used to describe a sunset that paints the most beautiful picture imaginable in the mind. Words are a window to the soul. Words reveal what’s inside even more than body language. If someone really understands the power of words and really embraces the power of listening they can and will live a rich life full of wonderful relationships and health in all areas.
But have we sacrificed the “word” to “the god of the image”? Have we weakened, cheapened it to the point where it has lost its meaning? In our day where visualization is king how can we get back to the power of the word?
Here is just one way that words make a difference.
When we are working or studying hard it is easy for us to neglect or not realize our own need for encouragement. We can be equally oblivious to the need that others around us have for encouragement. It can look like nothing is changing day after day after day even though we know we are making a difference it would be nice to hear someone acknowledge and applaud our efforts once in awhile. But with most people encouragement doesn’t come easily.
When I was teaching middle school I had a great example of this kind of encouragement. When you are working with young people, for the most part, at least at the elementary and middle school levels you are left with trying to find encouragement in their actions or in their test scores but what teachers may really be desiring and actually need is for one of their students to say “thank you so much for all your hard work, it really means a lot to me.” The administration can say this and fellow teachers can say it and often do but when the people you are directly pouring your life into say it very clearly it definitely matters the most. Now it’s not that kids don’t appreciate what we do for them it’s that they are not mature enough to express their gratitude in a way that would truly encourage us.
I found that in the earlier part of the year it went a long way just to look for all those encouragements in the way that a student performed on a test or an improvement in their behavior. But as the year went on I needed more.
At about this time I was having a particularly difficult and dismal day. You know those kinds of days when you think “ what’s the point, who cares and does it really matter.” Well on that day I happened to have a meeting with a parent of a student who was really struggling in my class and in school in general. And after the meeting his father came to me and said something to the effect of “whatever you are doing with our son it’s working. He really likes you. He says that History is his favorite class. Thank you for caring about our son.” Now it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that the rest of the day was amazing for me. I mean I was floating on air. It was incredible. Suddenly every kid I talked to was important and every class I taught mattered and I believed that I was making a difference.
Not sappy or super spiritual; or forced words of encouragement but real genuine from the heart compliments and encouragements. We all need to hear it. So it starts with us.
Proverbs 25:11 says that “a word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.” This is encouragement at it’s finest. One word can not only change someone’s day but turn their whole life around. Who can you give an apt word to this week?
