Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body. —Proverbs 16:24 (NRSV)
What could this be? I pulled the padded envelope from the mailbox. A surprise from Wanda! Even though I hadn’t seen my friend in years, we often e-mailed.
Each year we shared our resolutions, prayed for their achievement, and checked in regularly to assess each other’s progress. On January 2, I’d typed out last year’s goals: “Lost the weight, but gained a few pounds back over the holidays. Removed clutter from my home, but still have more to do. Speak encouraging words of love and kindness; still falling short.”
I’d had the “kind words goal” on my list since 2010. I’d even taped “Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul (Proverbs 16:24)” to my computer monitor as a reminder. But I was deeply dissatisfied by the lack of headway I’d made.
I ripped open the package. Inside was a book, Silver Boxes: The Gift of Encouragement by Florence Littauer. “Think of your words as gifts to others wrapped up as little silver boxes,” Wanda had written.
Deeper inside was another package: a small silver box on a chain. Perfect! I could wear it around my neck as a tangible reminder to speak love.
I picked up the telephone to thank my sweet friend. “Did you look inside the necklace?” asked Wanda.
I pulled back the tiny clasp and a scroll fell out. It was the verse from Proverbs 16:24.
Now I was sure of it! This would be the year I made kind words a habit, thanks to God, Wanda, and a little silver box.
Lord, help me to speak words of kindness and love—once and for all!
Digging Deeper: Proverbs 31:26, Ephesians 4:29
Excerpted from Daily Guideposts 2017.
