Words Can Heal
“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:11 Though we saw yesterday that words can wound, the more powerful and overcoming truth is that they can heal! In fact, so important are affirmations and positive exhortations in God’s eyes that the Greek term for encouragement — parakleo — is used at least 100 times in the New Testament. Everyone needs to be reminded of who they are in Jesus, even those who don’t know Him yet, and giving verbal utterance to His heart is the best way to do it. Just as the aroma of something sweet has the potential to overpower the less pleasant smells around it, so uplifting speech can overcome the grievous stench of cutting words. That said, encouragement has a purpose far deeper than making a person feel good in the moment. Though compliments