And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.

– Mark 1:13 (ESV)

I wrote last week that Words are like evil spirits. By this I mean that words carry great power, and sometimes it is terrible power. They can truly “haunt forever”.

We don’t realize the power of our words. The other day Blake, my seven year old, told me about something mean some big kid said to him when he was three! He has remembered those words for four years.

I can remember hurtful things that were said to me twenty five years ago. How about you? Do you have a long memory for words? If so, welcome to the human race. Words can hurt, and they can even kill. How many suicides have words contributed to?

Words are a potent, precious gift that God has given uniquely to the human race. They carry great and terrible power.

As I considered these things the thought occurred to me that words can also be like ministering angels, pouring out healing on a wounded soul. The picture that comes to my mind is a picture of Jesus in the wilderness, famished and weary from his fasting and spiritually beset by the enemy. God sent his angels to minister to his Son.

Likewise, our words can be like ministering angels to those who are hurting.

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.

– Proverbs 25:11 (ESV)

The word “fitly” in this proverb suggests to me not just a word used at the proper time, but also a word that “fits”. We are not called to flattery, to false encouragement, to platitudes. We are called to speak the truth in love to those around us. And to do it in a timely fashion. The writer of Hebrews calls us to exhort or encourage one another daily, while it is called “today”. And “exhort” is a good translation, I believe. Encouragement is not just saying “there, there, everything will be alright.” Encouragement involves exhortation, speaking the truth to someone laid flat out on the battlefield, so that they might be set back on their feet to fight another day. Encouragement can be loud, it can be soft. At times it doesn’t involve any words at all.

Have you ever felt like you should encourage someone but because of timidity or pride or some other reason you didn’t? I certainly have. I’m learning to say words of encouragement, at the right time and in the right way. It takes practice. I can be clumsy with my words.

But a clumsy word is, I believe, far better than the deafening silence of an encouraging word that is never spoken. We all need encouragement. We want others to encourage us – not falsely but in truth and love. Jesus calls us to do to others what we want done to ourselves. An encouraging word spoken at the right time can be like an angel sent from God to strengthen and soothe a wounded soul. And to break through the lies of the enemy, to soften hearts, to knock down strongholds, to break the deceitfulness of sin. A word spoken rightly can be used by God to save a soul from ruin.

I speak thousands of words every day. I pray that mine can be used by God to bring healing, to instill courage, and to reveal his love and glory to others.

But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

– Hebrews 3:13 (ESV)