I once heard the story of a little girl named Michelle, who grew up in the 1950’s. Because she had a cleft palate, it was obvious to Michelle that she was different from other kids, and she hated that. But she had learned to not let the jokes and stares of the other children bother her as they teased her about her misshapen lip, crooked nose and garbled speech. Michelle was convinced that no one outside her family could ever love her until she entered Mrs. Rhoades’ class. Mrs. Rhoades had a warm smile, a cheerful face, and short, light brown hair. All of the children liked Mrs. Rhoades, but Michelle grew to love her.
In those days, teachers administered a hearing test in the classroom. Unfortunately, Michelle not only had a speech impediment due to her cleft palate, but she was also partially deaf in one ear. Determined not to let the children have something else to tease her about, she thought of a way to cheat on the hearing test. She could pass the “whisper test” by covering her bad ear and turning her good ear toward her teacher. On the day of the dreaded hearing test, surely God put seven words in Mrs. Rhoades’s mouth that changed Michelle’s life forever. When it was time for Michelle’s “whisper test,” she clearly heard the words: “I wish you were my little girl.”
In Proverbs 25:11, King Solomon penned this truth: “A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.” Certainly, the words Mrs. Rhoades whispered into Michelle’s ear would qualify as such. They were the words that erased years of pain and sorrow. They were the words filled with love and acceptance. They were words that are priceless to those who hear them.
If someone listened in on our conversations, would their lives be changed for better or worse? Would they hear us speaking about the character flaws of others as if they were physical defects or would they hear us consider others as beautiful in God’s eyes? We should ask ourselves if our words build up or tear down. Do our words push others away from us or draw others closer? Most important, do they draw others toward God?
It’s never too late to dispense apples of gold in settings of silver. Seek someone who is downcast and whisper a word of encouragement. You never know who might need to hear the words, “I want to be your friend.”
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