A Word Fitly Spoken and A Listening Ear

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.  

~ Proverbs 25:11

You just never know when a conversation you're having turns out to be a word fitly spoken. My dental hygienist was heavy-hearted today and much spilled forth as she cleaned and polished. Of course, there's not much that can be said with dental instruments in your mouth, so mostly I listened, with an encouraging word given here and there. I'm glad she didn't have a busy schedule today because we spent an hour and a half 'talking' things over. She said she had come to work discouraged but felt so much better after our 'conversation'. Sometimes all it takes a listening ear.

You just never know when the Lord wants to encourage someone through you. He uses simple things, and He often uses us in spite of ourselves. He did that today. I was wanting to do some shopping afterward before school traffic started, and early-on in the 'conversation' was beginning to feel a bit anxious that progress on my teeth was going so slowly. God had other plans for my afternoon, though, and I'm so thankful for the privilege of being an instrument in the hands of the Redeemer to encourage a fellow believer. In spite of myself.

Painting ~ Gather Ye Rosebuds While Ye May, John William Waterhouse,1909
Wiki Commons public domain