Last week I was meeting and visiting with a family at the funeral home, and I had a true blessing happen to me.

I was in the middle of a long, full week. I was busy and tired. I wasn’t lacking focus. I was just dialed in and moving swiftly from one responsibility to the next.

This moment I was at the funeral home talking with a family that I had never met before as I was preparing for a funeral that I would do the following day. After those conversations were over I was headed toward the entrance when a new gentleman stopped me and introduced himself. We spoke for about 2-3 minutes about the deceased and this gentleman’s relationship to him. He said what most people say in that he appreciates me being there for them during this tough time. We had a nice, little, cordial talk right there in the hall way. Then he proceeded on, but just as we were walking away, he turned around and said,

“Hey, You’re Awesome!”

It stunned me. That was about a week ago, and I am still being impacted by it.

Not because I am awesome. I know I am not. (Jesus is.)

Not because he said it. I can understand him being thankful for visiting his family without knowing them. And thats his way of saying thanks. And people sometimes say random things to people.

It stunned me because Words have power! Words build up! It made me feel good. It really did. And that doesn’t mean I am shallow. It means words can build people up. I walked out of that funeral home cheesing like never before. I was skipping and singing. All because of his words to me.

God says:

“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.” -Proverbs 25:11

and

“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” -1 Thessalonians 5:11

and

“…but only (talk) such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” -Ephesians 4:29

It has been 7 days since that happened. And I am still thinking about it. I wonder if the way I speak to people ever makes their day better. I wonder if anyone goes home after talking with me and for days is smiling because of something I said to them.

That gentleman sure did pick me up last week. Just by saying a few words to me that built me up. Thank you sir. My day and life are better because of those words. Just as God says in His word.

Lets Give it a try! Lets start using our words to make people better. Lets start being used by God with “fitly spoken words.”