By Pat
I often struggle with feeling inadequate in God's kingdom, and wish that I was in a position to do bigger, better things. I call it the "Mother Theresa" syndrome. It seemed as though the little things I do are very insignificant, and that I am hiding my light under a bushel basket.
But very recently, as I shared those feelings with a friend, I was reminded that sometimes it's the little things that can make the largest impact; in this case, kind words. Just by caring about him, praying for him, and sending words of faith and encouragement, I reminded him that God is at work in his life, and that He loves him. My heartfelt words, although they seemed small to me, impacted him deeply, and I had no idea. When my friend shared with me what a difference my words had made, I was truly surprised. But why? God tells us through scripture of the importance of our words and of the impact they can make, both positive and negative.
The book of James, chapter 3, is very clear about the damage we can do by using words in a negative way, and how powerful these little tongues of ours can be. But Proverbs 12:25 tells us "an anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up." Proverbs 16:24 says "pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones."
Never withhold a kind and caring word, for it might be exactly what God knows is needed. And if you're the recipient, make sure you convey how welcome those words of kindness were to your heart, for in doing that, you complete the circle-you return the blessing to the blesser! So don't allow yourself to feel small in God's awesome kingdom on earth. You can be a blessing to God wherever you are, and little things count!
"A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver." (Proverbs 25:11)
Pat is a good friend who is passionate about her faith and her family. She works from home supporting a family business, and loves to read, write and garden when she can, and spends every spare moment with her grandkids.