One Good Word

I like this poem. For one thing, it reminds me of how powerful something like a simple "thank you" can be, say, to an overworked waitress on any given Sunday after church. Many of our restaurants and businesses are still not up to speed on their services because they do not have enough people to work, and the ones who are working are often stretched pretty thin. My daughter has worked as a waitress, and we have often discussed how rude and arrogant "church people" can be when they do not get served as quickly as they think they ought to be.

This past Sunday's sermon title was "Jehovah-Fema?". The preacher reminded us that our support, our sustenance does not really come from the government and can't always be depended on to save us from our various troubles. In his own preacherly way, he reminded us that we as believers have something to share with those around us who are hurting. He challenged us to share our "one good word" with those around us who might be despairing from the mistaken belief that the only god they can depend on is "Jehovah-Fema".

We have so many people around us who are hurting, people who have strong faces that hide their pain. I bet you come across people like that every day as well. They are everywhere, and they are starving for one good word. In all the hustle and bustle of the season, and the joy, it is easy to forget that one good word can be so very powerful.

One good word can mean so much. Who could you offer one good word to?

(For more of David Whyte's poetry, click here. I am not real sure what the exact rules are for posting someone else's work on a blog like I have done. I think I am okay using it as a one-time post. I think for anything other than that, I'd have to have permission to use this poem.)