It would be an unusual day today if you did not cross the path of someone who needs a word of encouragement. There are lots of hurting people in the world; some are easy to identify while others hide their hurt.
Today there are people struggling to make ends meet financially. Many people are lonely with few true friends. Some people are hurting due to poor decisions they have made and are now ashamed and discouraged. Some are struggling with poor health, and their future is uncertain. And even others are burdened because people they love are sick or hurting. There are a multitude of reasons people are discouraged.
We cannot always correctly judge people from the outward appearance and know who is hurting and who is not. Sometimes people work hard to give a good impression outwardly, but on the inside they are bruised, wounded, or hurt. Everyone needs encouragement and everyone needs a kind word. You simply cannot go wrong by being kind and speaking a word of reassurance.
As a Christian, I’ve decided I’m going to spread a little cheer today by being the first to smile and speak. I’m not going to wait for others to say “Hello,” “Good Morning,” or “Good Afternoon.” As soon as I see someone today I’m going to speak first. I’m not sure what I’ll say. It might simply be “Good morning.” It might be a genuine question of concern as I ask “How are you today?” Or I might encourage them by saying “Hang in there!”
I’ve been so blessed by God. I have so much for which to be thankful. I’ve got a loving family, many friends, and people praying for me. While all this is true for me, and perhaps for you, it is not true for many people.
The Bible says “the words of the godly are like sterling silver; . . . the words of the godly encourage many . . .” (Proverbs 10:20a; Proverbs 10:21a NLT).
You or I could be the first person today to say a kind word to someone. But even if we are not the first, at least we are trying!