Friendly, true, and encouraging words can be so life-giving! Give your friends and those around you an encouraging word today – point out something good in their character and encourage that virtue to grow.
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada with a friendly word from Proverbs 12.
And, oh, don’t we all need friendly words these days? And we need to give them, too, don’t we? For as it says in Proverbs, “Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.” Don’t you want to gladden the hearts of others? Give a good word. A friendly word. For instance, I do my best to be a good wife, even with my quadriplegic-limitations. In fact, it’s my limitations that keep reminding me to give friendly words to Ken Tada. I may not be able to whip up an omelet for my husband or rub his back, but I can uplift him with life-giving words of encouragement. I might say, “Ken, thank you for visiting our neighbor who’s got cancer! That was so thoughtful of you.” Or I’ll say, “I'm so grateful you’re a man of prayer – I love the way you always take the lead and invite people to pray!” Or I might say, “Ken, I noticed you cleaned up the kitchen table. Believe me, I appreciate that and, what’s more, it tells me how thoughtful you really are!”
Now, none of that is flattery. I’m not sweet-talking to get my way. Rather, I’m declaring the good that I see in Ken’s character, or at least the good I want to encourage in him. If you have a hard time discerning stellar qualities in your spouse, that’s when it helps to look for eensy-weensy small things, little virtues, and then make much of them. Your kind words about those virtues are like watering a tiny seedling, helping that virtue to grow into a wonderful character trait. Proverbs 18 says that, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” Well, we’ve got enough of the death part, the bitterness and the anger, but let’s remember that the tongue has also the power of life, so let’s grow the character of others by offering life-giving words.
I know when I’m in physical pain, I’m so blessed, so encouraged, so helped when friends offer life-giving words. Sure, they acknowledge my pain, but then they might, I don’t know, commend me for a courageous outlook, or a hope-filled spirit, or a persevering attitude. There words provide such great perspective for me. Pain can really shrink my world, but I love it when a coworker will see some small virtue amid all my struggles and they will water that virtue with their words. It’s the way you help a hurting friend. In fact, that’s the name of the booklet that I’d like to send you today, for free. It’s called, “Helping a Hurting Friend: Bringing the Hope of Christ in Hard Times,” and I just love the insights contained in this little volume. So, today, go to joniradio.org and ask for your gift about helping hurting friends. As a person who really hurts bad sometimes, I can’t begin to tell you how life-giving friendly, true, and encouraging words can be. So, get your copy at joniradio.org.
And, hey, today is National Radio Day and I just know the staff here at the station would appreciate an encouraging word from you. So, send them an email or leave a comment on the station website. Friend, your good words can truly gladden the hearts of the people around you today. Your words will not only touch others but actually enrich their character. Whether you say it in an email, in person, in a letter, over the phone, in a note, remember that what you say has the capacity to transform the characters of others. And the best word of all? Be sure to give the Word himself, Jesus Christ – he always has wonderful words of light. Hey, don’t forget your gift today at joniradio.org, and don’t forget to drop a note to this station and thank them for being a good friend in your community.
© Joni and Friends