Kind words are like honey

Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. (Proverbs 16:24)

Three weeks ago, my employer implemented a COVID-19 Reduction In Force (RIF) with 699 permanent terminations and furloughs of bright, talented, intelligent people that would have never been let go, outside of a global pandemic. 99 of those individuals were in my department. But for the grace of God, I could have easily been number 100. 

Our corporate president announced the impending action the day before the cuts were made, and I knew I had limited time to send a final note of encouragement to co-workers that would soon lose their jobs.

In my position, I have the unique privilege of being the primary communicator of tech-related messages to our administrative staff around the world. Ten weeks ago, when our work-from-home journey began, I started sending weekly messages to my fellow admins, offering them digital tips, tricks, and inspiritment.  

With each mailing, I heard from more and more of my recipients who frequently told me how much they appreciated the messages and forwarded them to their teams. While I knew the tips were helpful, I often heard that the motivation was more appreciated than anything pertaining to their work-product. These were thirsty people needing much more than water to satiate their bone-dry souls. 

It’s such a simple thing to thank, elevate, and motivate others – yet how seemingly rare.

Recently, I had begun ending my weekly messages with the simple sentence: “Never forget how important you are.” Again, such a simple phrase with such power to reshape one’s fragile self-image. So often in life, we feel undervalued and insignificant. Perhaps we are not as imperative to the world as we would like to be. Nevertheless, each of us is significant to God. 

In this particular case, as in the Biblical tale of Esther, I felt that I had been given this platform to provide inspiration in “such a time as this.” (Esther 4:14) I’ve adopted the message I sent that fateful Friday to this platform, where I’m free to speak of my faith and God’s love for all of us. This message is for you, dear reader – with the truth of the Gospel behind it.

You are important. 

God loves you, and you are of infinite value to Him. No matter what you do and no matter what happens in your life, you are of immense importance to the Creator of the universe. Such a reality is life-changing.  

Don’t forget who you are outside of work.

For most of us, our identity stems from what we do for a living; what we know, how well we do our jobs, how highly we are esteemed in the workplace often forms our self-perception. Don’t let your employment determine your self-worth. No matter who you are and what job you perform at work, who you are outside of your profession is what’s most valuable to the world. 

Demonstrate love. 

Be kind. Show compassion. Remind others of their importance. Such a mind-shift has the potential to reshape your entire existence. “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7) 

God loves you. He’s not impressed with your title or how high your last raise was. Work stature is fleeting. God’s love is perpetual. Let that reality fashion your identity rather than what your nameplate says above your door. 

You are valuable.

What I want you to hear and hold in your hearts is that you are unceasingly valuable in God’s eyes. Your existence makes a difference in the world. Our worth must run deeper than what we do for a living. We are so quick to place our worth on the appraisals that the world gives. It is important to remember that God loved us so much that He gave His only Son to die for us so that we could spend eternity with Him in heaven. (John 3:16) 

• Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? (Matthew 6:26)
• Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows. (Luke 12: 6-7)

You are a child of the King.

No matter what happens to you in the workplace or the world, you are a beloved child of God, an heir to His kingdom. What higher calling, what greater esteem can the world hold than that? “Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.” (Romans 8:17)

You are amazing.

God created unique, remarkable you. No matter who you are, what you’ve accomplished, or not accomplished in life, God created you to be precisely who you are. Your journey, your existence, your path is original, and you are amazing. “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful. I know that full well.” (Psalm 139:14)

Above all, never forget how important you are.

There is only one you and you are irreplaceable. Nothing will ever change that. Believe in your value, and remember that you are wondrous. Never lose sight of that reality. “My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.” (Psalm 139: 15-16)

Kind words are like honey: sweet, sustaining, nourishing. What you say to others in the time of their greatest need can be life-changing. Think before you speak. Choose your words wisely. Pray that God will give you the proper thing to say when it is most needed. You will never regret doing so. I know I never do.