stephen R Harrison

JOY 365: Day 16

A person finds joy in giving an apt reply, and how good is a timely word!”  -Proverbs 15:23

I was recently eating at a restaurant near the ocean while meeting with some other pastors. Talk about enjoying a perfect moment! When we stepped out of the restaurant, I walked over to the dock to watch the waves and enjoy the weather for a moment. As I walked away, a man sitting near me began to curse out a young man who was blowing off the sidewalk. He was incredibly rude and disrespectful as he berated him. He told him to move along because people were trying to enjoy their meal. The young man wasn’t hurting anyone, and it really upset me. I knew I needed to do something, but my initial thought wouldn’t have been good to act upon. Then the Lord impressed me to give the worker some money and tell him how much God loved him. I tapped him on the shoulder, encouraged and loved him for a few seconds, and then handed him some cash. I told him how much I appreciated him for his work and how much God valued him and created him in His image.

I will probably never see either of those two guys again, but hopefully I left an impact of Jesus’ grace, love, and honor. Proverbs 15:23 says, “A person finds joy in giving an apt reply, and how good is a timely word.” The young man thanked me, and I pray those words encouraged him. I almost gave the rude guy a piece of my mind, but thankfully, the Spirit led me to give the young man a piece of God’s heart. I pray that the young man went home, reflected on the two encounters, and allowed the Spirit to draw him closer to Christ. What joy that fitting reply gave me, and hopefully him, the rest of the day. 

Who do you know that needs the joy of an “apt reply” and “timely word” today?