Winter, with a magical wave of its weather wand, changes the landscape into a snowy world. Several years ago, I wrote about the beauty of a snowfall:
SILENCE
A soft and downy, drowsy day,
The sky is furry, blurry gray;
No wind to blow the snow away
In patches.
The trees are draped with frozen lace;
The meadow is an arctic place;
And house and barn, with wintry grace,
Wear thatches.
The morning was ushered in with a light snowfall. I was amazed at how it changed the out of doors. Brown winter grass wore a soft, white topping. Leafless limbs of trees were edged with white, displaying intricate shapes that, without the snow, would be missed. Gray, weeds and regal pines all wore a luxurious coat of white; one not more beautiful than the other.
The snow fell gently yet made a world of difference. Words are like that. There are words that enhance, words that cover ugliness and bring out hidden beauty in people, words that bring forth the amazing gifts and individuality that might otherwise be missed.
Some people are gifted with the ability to speak what is needed. One word of praise or appreciation, a word that shows we value someone; these fall onto hearts that might be feeling a bit of winter bleakness but that word, spoken by family member, friend, or stranger, makes us feel just a bit enhanced, just a bit more worthwhile.
The Bible teaches the importance of words and how we use them. King Solomon said, “Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones” (Proverbs 16:24) and “A wholesome tongue is a tree of life” (Proverbs 15:4). There are many other references in both Old and New Testaments about the power of words. Words, like a gentle snow, can fall on a wounded soul and suddenly, the day is beautiful.
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