Morning, Young Man!

Bill Brown ... Xiamen University
"Careless words stab like a sword, but the words of wise people bring healing." Proverbs 12:18 God's Word Translation (1995).

"Ability will never catch up with the demand for it." Confucius

A couple weeks ago a man in Hong Kong made my day when he heartily clapped me on the back and said, "Good morning, young man!"

When I came to China in 1988 I was young, and looked it, and felt it. I even grew a full beard just to look older so my students would take me more seriously. But eventually Sue had me shave it off with the encouraging words, "You don't need a beard to look old now!"

Though I'm not exactly "old," I've been around over half a century now, and like many people my age, I can relate to whoever said "inside every older person is a younger person wondering what happened."

Some say that youth is not years but attitude, and I still feel young, even in the face of mounting evidence against it. So what a joy to have someone that I thought was older than me (turned out he was younger) to call me "young man." I suspected he was not sincere, but it did not matter. It felt good.

In school we chanted, "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me." How wrong we were! Physical wounds and bruises heal, but emotional scars from wounding words go deep beneath the flesh to the heart and very soul, and can last a lifetime--or longer. So we should carefully steward our words.

1. Wounding Words--avoid them. If you can't say something good, remain silent--unless, of course, silence would create greater problems. Confucius said silence is always a friend--but it's not a friend if by remaining silent you allow a blond man to walk off a cliff.

2. Healing Words--make them a habit. Practice thinking of ways to encourage and heal people with your words. That's does not mean, of course, empty flattery, which is worse than silence. But look at those around you and think of ways to remind them that, in spite of circumstances, there is a Plan and a Purpose, and remind those who are struggling of Paul's reminder, "
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Rom. 8:28 NAS.

3. The Word. Read, daily, our Father's Word, and apply it not only to yourself but others. I've read the same passages perhaps a hundred times by now, but each time they are new, and fresh, because each day I am new, and facing new situations, and can apply them in different ways, for myself and for others. As the Psalmist wrote, "Rather, he delights in the teachings of the LORD and reflects on his teachings day and night." Psalm 1:2 GWT

And have a good day, young person--for you are young, and in our Father's eyes will always be a child. "Except you become as a child, you will not enter the Kingdom..." Matt. 18:3

Related: Healing Words Silence a Red Guard
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