Sunday Seed Thoughts: A Kind Word of Encouragement

My wife, Norma Jean, has a little devotional book that relates a neat story about a famous singer scheduled to perform in a Paris opera house. The event was sold out in a short time.

The night of the concert found the house packed and the crowd abuzz with excitement. The house manager took the stage and said, “Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your enthusiastic support. I’m afraid that due to illness, the woman whom you’ve all come to hear will not be performing tonight. However, we have found a suitable substitute we hope will provide you with comparable entertainment.”

The crowd groaned in disappointment and failed to hear the announcer mention the stand-in’s name. The environment turned from excitement to frustration. The stand-in performer gave the performance everything she had. When she had finished, there was nothing but an uncomfortable silence. No one applauded.

Suddenly, from the balcony, a little boy stood up and shouted, “Mommy, I think you’re wonderful!” The crowd broke into thunderous applause.

We all need people in our lives who are willing to stand up once in a while and say, “I think you are wonderful. ”

The Bible exhorts, “Be kind to one another… encourage one another and build each other up” (Eph. 4:32; 1 Thess 5:11).

“Kind words can be short and easy to speak. But their echoes are truly endless.”

Why not be that person with a kind, encouraging word? Today.

–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman