Words like honey

The church program included a beautiful rendition of a familiar Bible story told in dance by professional ballerinas. They soared and swooped as they lifted their arms to portray the story’s details and the wonder of God’s interaction through the events. Their graceful pirouettes, leaps of joy and collapses into sorrow expressed the emotions of the Bible characters.
My sister watched in awe. She felt the emotions of the story through their movements. It deeply touched her. She lifted her heart to God in praise. The whole presentation moved her. She had never had such an experience as she did watching those ballerinas tell the old familiar story.
At the end of the evening she felt she had to tell the director, a woman who had choreographed the story and coached the dancers to perfection. Before she could, first one person and then another stopped to chat with Sis. She finally made her way to the director with a smile of gratitude just as another woman walked away from conversing with the director.
The director saw my sister coming. Sis, an older woman, dresses on the conservative side. The director cautiously watched Sis approach.
“Thank you for that presentation. It was wonderful. It moved me so much. The story and the worshipful emotions the dancers expressed. It was fantastic! I have never seen such a performance that showed how to worship with the whole body. Thank you for all the practice and time you spent preparing for tonight’s presentation,” Sis said quite sincerely.
The director just stared at her and flatly asked, “Did someone tell you to come and say that?”
Puzzled at her response Sis answered, “No, I just felt so moved by the performance I wanted to tell you what a blessing it was to me. It was wonderful. I really have never experienced anything like it.”
The instructor looked at her. Pain swept over her face. She raised her arm and indicated the woman who had just left talking with her. She tersely said, “She just ripped me to pieces and told me how disgraceful it all was.” Obviously the words had hurt deeply as they touched and tore apart her mission of teaching girls to enjoy graceful movements in honor of God.
“Thank you for telling me. Thank you,” the director said.
Looking back on that interchange, Sis concluded “I knew that by taking the time to say something positive it lifted that woman’s spirits and began a healing process after the harsh, destructive words.”
I saw a similar impact of harsh words years ago at the newspaper. Coverage of a regular meeting included unflattering comments about one person by civic board members. A relative called and raked the reporter over the coals without considering that the reporter always wrote detailed stories of meetings. The editor had read and approved it. Most importantly the negativity came from the board member, not the reporter.
While I understand the family’s hurt and anger, I also saw the reporter’s face after the tongue lashing. The officials said the words, the editor approved the story. The reporter took the brunt of the anger and somehow managed to shrug it off and cover the next meeting just as thoroughly.
As I write this I recall the Sunday School chorus I learned as a child. “Oh be careful little mouth what you say, for the Father up above is looking down in love, so be careful little mouth what you say.”
Our words matter. “Kind words are like honey – sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.” (Proverbs 16:24). Be careful what you say.