Honey for the Heart
Proverbs 16:24 — Kind words are like honey—sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.
I almost didn’t say anything. She looked polished. She looked confident, like the kind of woman who didn’t need anything from anyone, especially not from me.
But all week long, her name kept coming to mind—in the grocery store, during my quiet time, while folding laundry. When a name won’t leave you alone, it’s often not random—it’s an invitation to respond.
So when I saw her slipping out of church alone, I felt that quiet nudge saying, “Tell her.”
So I did.
I said to her, “I’ve been praying for you. God brought you to mind this week, and I just wanted you to know that you’re not forgotten.”
She smiled politely. She said, “Thank you,” and that was it. But as I watched her walk away, I saw something shift, like her shoulders softened a little—like someone had finally looked past the perfect hair and the smart heels and saw her.
Like a kind word had landed deeper than it sounded, settling in like sweetness where something had once been sour. The right words, offered at the right time, can taste like honey. They reach places we’ll never fully see, bringing comfort, healing, and hope to weary hearts.
That’s why we’re called to encourage each other and carry each other’s burdens. We never know what a small obedience will do, but sometimes the smallest words can speak the loudest love. A simple, obedient act of encouragement can lighten someone’s unseen burdens and quietly reflect Christ’s love.
So when that name comes to mind again, don’t ignore it. Lean into the nudge. Your small act of encouragement may become the very thing God uses to bring healing to someone who desperately needs it.
A MOMENT TO REFLECT
- Has God ever placed someone on your heart unexpectedly?
- When was the last time someone’s kind words deeply encouraged you?
- Are there people around you who may look “fine” on the outside but still need encouragement?
- What keeps you from speaking encouraging words sometimes?
- Who could you intentionally encourage today with a text, prayer, or conversation?
