This morning I was thinking about a friend who has suffered deeply over her lifetime from words being hurled at her like knives or stones, leaving gashes and bruises on her soul.

And I was thinking how even in the Church we sometimes try to heal a wounded heart with cheap words (“God won’t give you more than you can handle!”), nice to hear but about as sustaining as potato chips.

Jesus didn’t do that. He often sidestepped obvious issues–and sometimes even direct questions!–to speak to people’s hearts. The crowd seeking Jesus in Capernaum (Jn 6)… the rich young ruler (Mt 19)…. the adulterous woman (Jn 8)… they all got very different responses than they expected. Words made alive by the Holy Spirit had, and have, the power to heal and transform lives.

The people in our lives need more from us than potato chip words. May it be our constant prayer that our lips will be wellsprings of life to those around us.

“To humans belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue.” (Prov 16:1)

© 2014 Deborah Morris

Questions or Comments?