Looking for the right gift? Don’t forget about the gifts that don’t cost money!
Words Of Affirmation
“… a word spoken in due season, how good it is!” Proverbs 15:23b
Perhaps this is a season for you to gift people you love with words. Words that build up, affirm, encourage, restore, and bless.
Last Sunday, November 29, was the first Sunday of Advent. The first candle we named is “Hope.” Hope is a word of vision and encouragement! How many times have we used the word with a negative tone, or even connected it to a threat? For instance, “I hope you don’t do that again! If you do …” or “I hope you connect your brain today.” I would like to encourage us to consider gifting others with words of hope – expressing visions of the good that can come out of someone’s life. Speaking hope to others is a beautiful gift! It says, “I believe in you!” Or “You have value that can make a big difference in this world.”
Parents – consider writing a letter of hope to your children. A very sad thing I’ve heard over the years, “My father never said he was proud of me.” A son needs to hear from his father that he is proud of him and a daughter so longs to hear from her dad that she is beautiful. I would like to encourage parents to not only speak those words of affirmation to family members, but tell them why you believe that. I’ve heard men say that they aren’t good with words. Do you know what that is? That’s a royal cop out!! I’m not encouraging you to be a poet, but to simply be a parent that expresses love, encouragement and hope to your children.
They might simply respond with, “Thanks.” But down deep it brings them joy.
Soooo why would we withhold words that can bring joy, confidence, security, and most of all – love ?! Only you can answer that. I am hoping that all of us can take the initiative to add value into other lives by gifting them with beautiful words of hope, bringing joy that could possibly last a lifetime! Have this vision, your son as a 70 year old man, sitting on a pier fishing with a friend and he says, “My memory is not what it used to be, but I’ll never forget the day my father told me he was proud of me because I was his son.”
Or this, your daughter is a grandmother watching her grandchildren as the parents are on a date. She goes over and sits on the couch next to her granddaughter and says, “Did you know how beautiful you are? Sometimes I just can’t take my eyes off of you. And then I think, and she is my granddaughter!” What comes to those lives after that? Joy! Oh the value of the beautiful words of affirmation!!! That’s a great way to use your breath! Gift those you love with your time and speech! It will truly be the gifts that keep on giving!
