Proverbs 12:25 (NASBStr)
Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down,
But a good word makes it glad.
When we come across a person who is really down, what is our role in his/her life? What should we do? Each day we come across those who have heavy hearts and are weighed down by their thoughts and cares of this world. Solomon tells us we are not to ignore them. We are not to laugh at them. We are not to chastise them. He is very specific with his recommendation of what to do. We are to offer a good word. Note what Solomon also said, recorded and registered later in this book:
Proverbs 15:23 (NASBStr)
A man has joy in an apt answer,
And how delightful is a timely word!
Solomon wants us to be so comfortable with our speech (a general theme of chapter twelve) that we will have a timely word, a good word to say to those who are discouraged. This is not a proverb delivered to preachers, social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, or coaches. This is a proverb delivered to those who Fear The Lord. The wise in heart are to deliver a good word that will lift the spirits of those who have lost hope. Note what Peter says in his epistle:
1 Peter 3:15
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts:and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
As we walk this earth we ought to be prepared to share with others why we have such hope. They might never believe what we share themselves, but that is the ultimate way to encourage their weighty-hearts. As the troubles of life pull them down, our hope in Christ ought to be expressed to them so that they can see the hope that is in us and with Him. If they apply faith to our words of hope it can lead them out of their valley of death. What helped David out his valley of death in Psalm 23 was the Word that God was his shepherd. The above proverb tells us a "good" word will make their hearts glad. The only real "good" word is from God's Word. Be ready to lift another with His word.
Words should be used to lift the spirits of the down and out. In Proverbs 12:25 we see that even though the heart is weighed down by anxiety a simple word can lift it out. And, in Isaiah 50:4 we read something very similar as well:
Isaiah 50:4 (ESV)
The Lord GOD has given me
the tongue of those who are taught,
that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary. Morning by morning he awakens; he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught.
We are to use our words to encourage and uplift others. But, it is so easy to get into the world of using them to cut. Our sitcoms today are filled with cutting words. Our youth learn early to use words to cut down the weak in the “pack.” Parents cut down each other so children pick up on it. Words are such a valuable tool to lift the spirits of others. Use them today to lift a weary soul.
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