words carry weight

A couple of weeks ago, between services at our church, a young woman approached me. She thanked me for talking to her over the phone some time back as she was contemplating having an abortion. It had been more than a year previously when she called the church wanting to speak with a pastor. I got the call and, even though I had never met her, we discussed her situation. Seems she wasn't convinced that abortion was her best option, but her boyfriend was pressuring her. In fact, she was speaking to me as he was driving her the clinic in San Diego. We spoke for maybe 15 minutes, prayed together, and said our goodbyes, with nothing seemingly resolved. It was a frustrating conversation, since I was afraid she would continue on course, and I would probably never know the outcome of things.

Standing together on this Sunday morning, she informed me that, following the call, she decided against the abortion. Then she introduced me to a beautiful young boy in her arms and told me that this was her son, and she was holding him that day because she had chosen to give him the opportunity to live. She simply wanted me to meet him and know that our few minutes over a telephone made a lifetime of difference for her...and for him.

Wow. I was struck. It doesn't always turn out like this. Right choices are often more difficult than wrong (or easier) choices. They require courage and responsibility. And the blessings are usually evident, obvious, and can often be held close to you. But my reason for writing this was not so much to make a statement about life or responsibility (although they are both poignant here), but to remind us all that simple words spoken, direction offered, concern displayed can make the difference in someone's life- and it could be a matter of life or death. We may not know the impact of our words, our touch, or our love, but make no mistake, there is an impact. Proverbs 25:11 reminds us that a word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in setting of silver. So keep speaking such words. Words of encouragement, of counsel, of warning, of hope. They make a difference.

At least I met a little boy who thinks so.