Saying The Right Thing At The Right Time


I came across this quote recently,

 The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right place, but to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment." -Author unknown

You may have to ponder that one for a moment. 

The writer of Proverbs wrote;
"Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up." Proverbs 12:25.

Speech is powerful. Today I will preach to a group of people. It will be my goal to be used by God to build up my brothers and sisters in Christ. However, even when I'm not the preacher this still needs to be my goal. Each of us will be granted opportunity today to use our words, both spoken and written, to add to the weight of someone's burden or to cheer them up. 

Most of us have people in our lives who do both. There are a few people I know who always cheer me up. When my phone beeps, and I see their name, I already feel better before I've even taken the call or read their text. When I see them I'm already smiling before they have even said anything. I have known a few folks who are the exact opposite. These are people who when you see their name you already know that call is going to voicemail. (If you call me and it goes to voicemail please don't assume this is you. Lol!) This latter group of folks is comprised of people whose mission in life is to point out flaws and pull people down. I knew a man who was always like this. At church the songs were wrong, the temperature was wrong, the font on the slides was wrong, the soap in the bathroom was wrong. Once he said to me, "None of the women in this church will talk to me." To which I replied, "I'm surprised any of the men do." I didn't really say that. I thought it, but I knew to leave the wrong thing unsaid at the tempting moment, as the quote above points out. I want to be in the first group of people. I hope you do as well. It's where we need to be.

When you get to church today, work or school tomorrow, or when you arrive at home, let it be your goal to have something good to say. Leave out what doesn't need to be said. 
"Everyone enjoys a fitting reply; it is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time!" Proverbs 15:23.

Following the Son,

James A Williams

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