A kind word can lift a heart weighed down by worry.
“Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad.”Proverbs 12:25 (KJV)
What does “Good word” mean in Proverbs 12:25?
The Hebrew word for heaviness describes anxiety and worry that bends a person low. The proverb says that a good word makes the heart glad.
Going deeper
Anxiety is heavy, and this proverb describes it well: heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop. Anyone who has carried worry for a long time knows the feeling of being bent under it. The proverb then offers a simple remedy that does not require a great deal of skill or money: a good word maketh it glad. A few kind words at the right moment can lift someone, at least for a time.
This makes encouragement a form of service open to everyone. You do not need to fix someone's situation to help. You can tell them you noticed their effort, remind them of what God has done, or say that you are praying. Think of one person who seems weighed down this week. Offer them a specific, sincere word, perhaps in a note or a call. It costs little, and it may be exactly what they needed to stand a little straighter.
Reflect
Who seems weighed down this week, and what good word could you offer them?
Pray
Lord, make me a giver of good words. Show me who needs encouragement, and give me the right words to say. In Jesus' name, amen.
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