THINK TOGETHER.
What’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to you?
READ TOGETHER
Proverbs 25:11. A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.
1. You can say the wrong thing at the right time.
2. You can say the right thing at the wrong time.
3. You can say the right thing at the right time.
Number 3 is the one we want to do. When Solomon says the word fitly he means timely, or at just the right time. Have you ever said something that was right, but at the wrong time? A simple example is when you call out answers in class without raising your hand. Or talking too much at home when you’ve been asked to be quiet. Those are words that are not fitly spoken.
Other examples might be when someone is going through something very sad and you want to say something nice to them to cheer them up. But if you say it at the wrong time it might sound like you don’t really care about how sad they are. Or maybe you tell someone something that is hard to hear, but you don’t really know them well enough to point out their mistakes to them. Your true words weren’t fitly spoken. Even worse is when you say something in front of everyone that should have been said in private. Again, what you are saying might be right, but you are saying it at the wrong time.
Do any of these examples sound familiar?
It’s important to remember that just because it is hard to know the right thing to say and when to say it, we must keep trying. We must never give up on trying to encourage and comfort others. That is what Jesus wants us to learn how to do – say the right thing and the right time. And if we mess up, that’s OK. Keep learning. Keep listening. Keep being a friend, just like Jesus is to you.
Because of Jesus we are filled with the love we need to say loving things.
With Jesus we can learn to say the right thing at the right time.
DO SOMETHING TOGETHER
Remember T.H.I.N.K. before you speak. Is it True, Helpful, Inspiring, Necessary, Kind? If you haven’t already, post this somewhere in your home.
PRAY TOGETHER
Jesus, help me to know what to say and when to say it. Amen.
TLICfamily 