May the true story that follows help you to see the heart-massaging power of well-timed words.

 

Five Special Words

That Sunday, the adult class teacher covered a chapter in 2 Timothy. He knew the material well, had a solid handle on timeless truths in the text and spoke passionately. He didn’t merely lecture to the 45 learners crowded into the room. The teacher interspersed his commentary with carefully-worded discussion questions that compelled them to examine the Bible passage for answers. At least a dozen different adults contributed during the lesson. He complimented their findings and used his awareness of background and cross references to deepen the insights they had identified. To close, he asked a couple of rhetorical questions to assist them in identifying personal responses to principles they had examined. His high energy and enthusiasm stemmed from the truths’ comforting effect on him as he prepared during the week before.

As adults began filing out of the classroom, the teacher felt good about how the lesson unfolded and the quality of learner contributions. He whispered a quiet thanks to the Lord. But one young adult, who had not previously attended the class, stayed behind: his young adult son. The son was more biblically educated than most of the class members, having completed three years at a Christian university. He hadn’t participated in the discussion segments that day.

The teacher wondered if his son would say something critical. Due to temperamental differences, they often clashed verbally: one hypersensitive (the teacher) and the other sometimes blunt and insensitive. When push came to shove, they loved each other and each knew that to be the case. Yet that didn’t keep the insecure teacher from wishing they were closer emotionally, or from wondering why his son was approaching him that Sunday.

But oh, what grace the teacher received!

The son waked to within a foot of his dad, cracked a big smile, hugged his dad and uttered only five words to recap his view of the Bible lesson.

“Dad, that was a Rembrandt!”  

He affirmed his dad’s teaching gift, viewing that classroom as an easel on which his dad had painted a work of art.

 

God Affirms the Positive Effect of Words

God’s Word says a lot about the positive and negative potential words.

The book of Proverbs* is a case in point, containing over 100 references to the tongue. Most verses focus on sins of the tongue, but a few highlight its positive potential. Probers 18:21 cites the negative as well as the positive impact of words: “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.”

That adult teacher received unexpected, reassuring words from his son. The son served as a conduit of God’s grace and encouragement that day, as suggested in these verses:

• “Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.” Proverbs 12:25
• “Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.” Proverbs 16:24
• “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.”  Proverbs 25:11

 

Who Will You Encourage?

The young man whose five words ministered to his dad knew his father had been in a long depressive episode. That awareness spurred him to share what he thought of the lesson.

Ask the Lord to bring someone to mind who needs a word of encouragement this week.

• A homebound senior citizen?
• A depressed friend or neighbor?
• A church member who lost a spouse recently?
• A weary missionary on furlough?
• Someone whose financial gift ministered to you years ago in a time of need?
• Someone who taught you and inspired your walk with the Lord?
• The person from the company who came alongside you and helped you learn the ropes for a new job?
• _____________________________ ? (You fill in the blank.)

Don’t procrastinate. A maxim I came across years ago prompted me on several occasions to either call or write someone and complete this sentence: “I thank God for you because______________.”

Here’s the maxim: No one can smell the flowers on his coffin. Give someone a verbal bouquet this week!

 

Update on the Teacher and His Son

Twenty years later, the adult Bible teacher still struggles at times to experience meaningful interaction with his son. That’s probably more his fault than his son’s. Intellectually, he knows the symptoms of his son’s Asperger disorder, yet often finds it difficult, due to his own highly sensitive temperament, to apply that knowledge to conversations and incidences that occur in the home.

But whenever he doubts his son’s love or respect, or wishes his son would make fewer critical remarks and more constructive ones, the Holy Spirit reminds him of those five words spoken in a church classroom two decades ago. Anyone who teaches on the university and seminary level, as he did for four decades, will receive his share of positive feedback (to counteract the occasional critic). But the teacher insists that no positive feedback he has ever received, whether spoken or written, buoyed his spirit and caressed his heart as much as those five words.

To this day, my son’s words bring me to tears.

“Dad, that was a Rembrandt!”

_______

*Email me and I’ll send you a topical study on the tongue that I did in the book of Proverbs. Since I completed this study decades ago, in case I cannot find the study in e-storage, give me your mailing address and I’ll send a paper copy. terry.powell@ciu.edu