Words can make all the difference in the world! In the political world, one wrong word can result in grave consequences for nations. In the celebrity arena, one misspoken word can bring down a rising star. In the medical field, one inaccurate word can mean life or death. In relationships, one offensive word can produce hard, bitter feelings that can last a lifetime. Yes, words are important in every aspect of our lives!
The religious world is no different. The serpent simply added a single word to the LORD's words and it resulted in the fall of man (Genesis 3). Ananias and Sapphira had trouble with truthful words and they died (Acts 5). Proverbs 12:25 tells us how much difference an encouraging word can make to someone who is disheartened. How about our idle words? Those, too, are important according to Matthew 12:36. There is an uninspired saying that says, "Silence means consent." Even the absence of our words is just as important as "a word fitly spoken" which "is like apples of gold and pictures of silver" (Proverbs 25:11).
Words are vehicles that express ideas. Do you, as the Bible teacher, express your joy and pleasure of teaching your students to their parents? From time to time, it is refreshing, heartening, and encouraging to the parents to hear those precious words, "I enjoy having __student's name_ in Bible class! Your child is so __adjective__, __adjective__, and __adjective__. I appreciate your efforts in seeing that __student's name_ is in Bible class on time with their Bible in hand." It does not take many heart-felt, sincere words to encourage a parent. Five minutes of your time each week can build up Bible class attendance and motivate a parent. It never hurts expressing good words (Proverbs 16:24). Take the time this week to speak to a parent about the good things their child is doing in Bible class. You will be surprised how you will feel when you do!
