The Power of an Encouraging Word

By Pastor Joseph Urbina

What if you could call a random number to say you’re sorry and no one would know it’s you? If you could speak from the very depths of your heart some word of apology, of gratitude, of appreciation, of love… uninhibited?

For a period of time, such a number was available to those who sought to unburden their conscience.

It was called the Apology Line. I heard it one day when I was driving – an enchanting narration accompanied with ambient sounds and a suspenseful musical score: This is Apology. Apology is a way to tell people what you’ve done and how you feel about it.

In haunting tones, the listener was assured that his confessions be broadcast anonymously; the caller was not to identify himself. Take as long as you want, coaxed the voice. Then a beep introduced a long stream of voices with varied timbres and stories: a parade of confessions to unburden the heart.

How many times have we crossed paths with souls who would benefit from a kind word, a humble token of encouragement – but we lost that opportunity and now live with the regret of having held our peace because we didn’t know just how to begin, or because we were too shy to try?

Our theme for 2025 is the Call to Courage. In recent times, much toxic negativity has flooded media outlets and platforms, and that is apparently effortless. It takes courage to be one of those people who come alongside others with words of encouragement in the face of such onslaught.

“Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a word spoken at the right time,” it tells us in Proverbs 25:11. Speaking an encouraging word well suited to the occasion takes courage, and it inspires courage in others.

Many encouraging conversations in the Bible highlight words of comfort, support, and hope.

In John 14:1-3, Jesus encourages His disciples with words of comfort as He prepares them for His departure: "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."

Here the Lord Jesus reassures His followers by reminding them of the hope of eternal life with Him. Likewise, in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, Paul speaks to the church, encouraging them to stay focused on the eternal reward despite present struggles: "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day; for our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

Paul reminds the Corinthians of the eternal perspective, emphasizing that their temporary struggles will not compare to the eternal glory awaiting them.

God speaks words of encouragement directly to Joshua as he faces the challenge of leading the Israelites into the Promised Land in Joshua 1:9: "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."

These passages offer powerful reminders of God's faithfulness, strength, and peace, encouraging believers to persevere in faith, trust in God's promises, and find comfort in His presence.

We all need companionship and encouragement. God Himself said that the one aspect of His creation that was not good was that the man was without a companion. “It is not good for man to be alone” (Gen 2:18).

Therefore God in His wisdom provided a helpmeet for Adam in the person of Eve, and created the institution of marriage.

The validity of marriage has been maligned and redefined in our society by woke philosophies to the degree that it no longer resembles the original divine plan.

Family is one of the greatest blessings I’ve ever experienced.

Why did God institute the family? God designed the family so that image bearers might learn to represent God in His world within the context of family before they do so in any other sphere.

Every child, every spouse, every parent, and every sibling is obligated to live before God in obedience, for they are creatures made in His image.

The family is the foundational unit of society. I venture to say that without it, we have no society.

After emphasizing the universal character of the family, anthropologist George Murdock argued that the family has four basic social functions: sexual regulations, reproduction, economic cooperation, and socialization/education.

In a family, a child gets emotional and mental support from family members and the family provides its members with social recognition or identity. Family members share their views and communication within the household for tackling various situations in day-to-day life activities.

The family is society’s basic unit. It is one of the oldest social institutions on the earth. Yet it is maligned, ill spoken of, and defaced to the point that it is unrecognizable.

If you Google types of families, you will find as a short list: stepfamilies; single-parent families; families headed by two unmarried partners, either of the opposite sex or the same sex; households that include one or more family members from a generation; adoptive families; foster families; and families where children are raised by their grandparents or other relatives.

How did we get here? That, I think, would require a PhD thesis.

The short answer: propaganda. Words that condemn the revealed order of God for humanity.

I want to finish this piece with a confession, as if made on the Apology Line. Words that I never got to say to someone I misunderstood and hated; yes, hated for a long time. How I regret that I never got to share with that loved one all that was in my heart. It would be problematic to do so now, since that person died in 1989.

May my apology and confession embolden a dear reader who misunderstands, as I did, his or her present circumstances, particularly those related to family.

One of the most intriguing questions of my late teens was why did my father take us to live in Mexico after we had been born and living fine in the United States?

At the time of that move, I was a whopping 5 years old, and I didn’t even know my legal name till I graduated from elementary school.

This is what I would say:

“Dad, for many years I was angry with you for taking us to live in Mexico. I did not understand why you did not see the challenges Mom had to overcome with your own family because they did not like her or understand her. To them, Mom represented the person who took away the salary that for many years you provided for them while you were single.

“But I never gave any thought to how you provided while I went through twelve years of education in Mexico and learned a lot about resilience. Even though we lacked many things, we never felt poor because we had a family, food on the table, and a roof over our heads. Plus you never left my mom.

“Yet, at that time, I still felt robbed of something I thought was my right: to grow up in the USA. It wasn’t till I came to Tucson that God began to take the veil off my eyes and give me understanding about why our family; why Mexico; why that time.

“I know now that it was God, and I’m certain, as I enter my 71st year of life, that the Lord used you, my dad, to prepare me for the task and purpose He has had for me for all these years.

“Dad, what God did through you became apparent when I realized that I came to Tucson during the very time God started bringing in a harvest of Spanish-speaking people, and that among them I was one of the few who could bridge the gap between my pastor and those precious souls, even as a newly integrated part of Pastor Warner’s ministry.

“I also want to apologize to you for the way I felt when you would discipline us. I didn’t realize the long term purpose of your hard hand on us. It wasn’t till I became a dad myself that this became abundantly clear. Thank you, Dad, for loving us enough to invest in our future that way, even though it was painful at the time.

“Sometimes when I think of you, Dad, I wish you could see the man I have become – even though it has taken a very long time, I admit. But I think you would be proud of all of your children. I’m really looking forward to seeing you in Heaven along with Mom and Andreu.”

To God, every word is important. Jesus said we all will give account of every word we’ve spoken.

Dear reader, do not wait to speak a kind word to someone who might be hard for you to talk to.

The regret is not worth it, and who knows what God might do to bless and enrich you and yours as you open your mouth and let God fill it?