A few weeks ago I sat on the beach with my daughter. She has beautiful red hair and, therefore, also has a fair complexion. She's already learned the value of sunscreen the hard way. Typically, like her dad, she burns and then she returns to her original skin tone.
I watched her beach routine as I sat in the full-sun in hopes of taking my own exterior to the next layer of brown. She would play a few minutes out in the sun with her sister, then she would quickly return to the umbrella and apply the next layer of 45 SPF. She would then sit contentedly in the shade for the next thirty minutes as she people-watched. Each time while playing out in the sun, not even 10 minutes would go by without her asking me if I thought she was burning. She would inevitably return and reapply. It was amusing.
A couple times during our first few days at the beach I suggested that she stay out in the sun a little longer or use less sunscreen. No budging. Her routine was working and she was completely content. On the third day or so, I tried to persuade her again. I non-chalantly said, "Babe, why don't you try using a little less sunscreen and see if you can get maybe a little color." She looked confidently at me and said, "No, thanks. Uncle Dewayne told me that I have a beautiful complexion." End of conversation.
Right then and there I recognized the power of our words. Uncle Dewayne took the time to make her feel special and that was all she needed. My daughter, at thirteen years old and a time that she should be overcome with insecurity and a pressure to look like the rest of her friends, was completely fine being the person God created her to be because of a statement made by a thoughtful uncle. That struck a huge chord with me.
I began to think of times when my words might have influenced those in my radar - either for the good, or for the bad. Yikes. When has a single statement of mine made such a difference in someone's self-worth for the positive? Often, taking the time to compliment or encourage people in our path takes very little time but has long-lasting effects that we may never know.
We hear of scenarios in which children relive the negative words their parents spoke when growing up. ..."You're no good!" ..."I wish you were never born." Or else, the words they didn't hear are even louder. .... "I love you."...."I'm proud of you." Our words carry weight. How we use them is crucial.
Who is in your life that you might postively influence because of a single, thoughtful compliment? What encouraging words need to be spoken to those in your home or in your working environment? We have no idea how life-giving they may be.
A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in setting of silver. Proverbs 25:11
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