Dear Rose Park,
A few nights ago, Simon didn’t feel very well. His nose was a little stuffy and he had a tickle in his throat that wouldn’t ago away. Rather than endure the sounds of him walking back and forth from his bedroom to the bathroom to get a tissue every ten minutes, I thought I’d bring the box of tissues to him. As I tucked him into bed he asked me, “Daddy can you lay with me and tell me a story?” There’s no way I could say no, he had me hook, line, and sinker.
So I cuddled up with him beneath the covers and started to tell him a story. I told him about my summer trips to my Grandpa and Grandma Brinks house. I told him how I would shoot the bb-gun in their backyard at old pop cans. I told him how my Grandpa used to let me rent old wrestling movies from the local video store. I told him how my Grandma would take me to her sister’s house after church for cookies. When I thought Simon was asleep I started to get out of his bed, but Simon quickly grabbed my arm and said, “just keep talking.” As a preacher, this isn’t hard to do but in that moment I realized yet again how powerful are words can be.
The bible has a lot to say about our words and how we use them, particularly the book of Proverbs. In his wisdom, Solomon tells us that the tongue has the power of life and death (Proverbs 18:21), deceitful words can crush a spirit (Proverbs 15:4), and kind words are like honey - sweet to the soul and healthy to the body (Proverbs 16:24). In other words, our words can cut deep like a knife and they can also be like a healing balm, it just depends on how we use them.
So, when you speak to your spouse, answer the phone, talk with the cashier or waitress, meet with a friend, or even comfort a sick child I hope and pray that the words we use are words of hope, healing, and honey.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Mark