I am so thankful for computers and the internet–for enabling me to email others so easily, maintain a website so people can find out about my books, write a blog each week and link it to Facebook, and also research all sorts of weird and wonderful topics—including how to deal with that pesky wasp’s nest under our back steps right now!
But last week, I came to appreciate another whole aspect of the internet, after my husband spoke at our church on Sunday. As is the custom there, his sermon was made available on the church’s website immediately after as a podcast for anyone to listen to (please click here). Now I had not considered to any great degree how useful this might be in a church context, in this day and age when some people might be unable to get to church because of work commitments or the busyness of life or any other reason. In fact, at times, I had even wondered if anyone listened to such podcasts. How wrong I was.
You see, last Monday, a very special email was forwarded to my husband from our church office—and what an encouraging email it was! Someone had taken the time to listen to his sermon podcast and then give some wonderful feedback. Here is part of what this lady wrote:
Recently I have taken to listening to your weekly presentations on your website. Yesterday’s “When God Is Silent” was especially relevant in my life at the moment and I am so pleased I was not in church as it was being said as I would have just fallen apart. …
The writer went on to thank my husband for what he had said and the power and healing she found in it. She then continued:
Although I still have no idea why I am going through what I am going through, I now can acknowledge that it is not because I have been forsaken, but I must wait for God’s plan to be revealed to me and rejoice in all the little encouragements I receive. …
Thank you again. Just thought you would want to know.
Not all of us have our words recorded a podcast for anyone to listen to. But almost all of us talk every day—some of us quite a lot! Wherever we have an audience, even if only an audience of one, our words have power to impart hope and healing, wisdom and comfort—but also power to hurt or shame or discourage or anger. People—especially our children and grandchildren, I have discovered—seem to remember so much of what we say and take things to heart in ways we would never have imagined. How careful we need to be with all those words that flow so easily from our mouths!
So this week, may the words you and I say in whatever context be spoken with great care. May they bring life and not death, hope and not discouragement. And may each one of them reflect our gracious, loving God, just as is needed, to those who hear.
A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver. Proverbs 25:11
Words are powerful; take them seriously. Matthew 12:36 The Message
Yes you are right!
Things go far and beyond.
It is for us to make the Apples Gold.
Shiva
Thanks for your comment, Shiva. And that’s a wonderful thought, that it is up to us to make those apples a lovely, shiny gold! God bless.
Thanks for the blessings.
You may have a look at my blog post,I feel you shall enjoy reading it.
“I Cease to See” just now on the front page.
Fond Regards
Shiva
Powerful words, Jo-Anne. Thanks for the great encouragement. Apples of gold, indeed.
Thanks, Carolyn–I’m glad the blog encouraged you. It’s a lovely image, isn’t it, those ‘apples of gold in settings of silver’? I also imagine us as authors, sitting there with God, polishing up those little ‘apples of gold’ we write and making sure they shine in just the right way.