A Word of Encouragement from Elizabeth Rice Handford
There’s a serious drawback to speaking your mind, whether using a podium or a word processor or social media. One fine day, someone is going to quote back to you what you said and hold you accountable for saying it. Are you willing to take the risk?
At a funeral recently, a minister’s wife said to me, “I heard you speak 30 years ago, and I’ve done what you said every day since.” I nearly panicked, because I’ve said a lot of words, written a lot of books, and expressed a lot of opinions in my long life. What, oh, what had I said thirty years ago, and was I still going to agree with myself?
“You were talking about how a wife could encourage her husband. You said you asked Walt every morning, ‘What can I do for you today?’ I’ve done that ever since for my husband. It’s been a great blessing in our lives, and I thank you.”
I was relieved. Not always have people given me good feedback. Occasionally someone has quoted me, and I feel sure I didn’t say it because I never believed it. So I say, from personal experience, don’t plan to be a writer or an influencer unless you’re prepared to hear yourself quoted back verbatim and ad nauseam.
But when it’s your own very dear Heavenly Father who quotes you back to yourself, you need to take notice! The other day the Lord Jesus seemed to tap me on the shoulder. “Libby, have you forgotten what you wrote last week about trusting Me even when you walk in darkness and can’t see the light?”
“Yes, Lord, I remember.”
“Take it to heart, dear child. It’s still true.”
I admit that the past few weeks have been difficult for me. A dear friend just learned she has stage four brain cancer. Other friends struggle with severe family and health and financial problems. One friend is making regrettable life decisions that will affect the rest of his life. My eyesight has deteriorated, and I’m looking for ways to compensate. Yes, that day, I was feeling overwhelmed. But—
—But, (and what a wonderful but it is!)—the Scriptures are still true. The promises of God are absolutely sure. God is in complete, competent control of His world. This is true, not because I say it but because the infallible Word of God says it. And when I go through a dark valley (which I shall certainly continue to do until I reach the Celestial City), I can rest in His glorious, eternal Word. And then I can tell others what He has done for me.
O God, You have taught me from my earliest childhood,
And I will constantly tell others about the wonderful things You do.
Now that I am old and gray,
Do not abandon me, O God.
Let me proclaim your power to this new generation
your mighty miracles to all who come after me. Psalm 71:17,18 (nlt)
Come to think of it, I was wrong when I suggested you maybe ought not choose to write, since writing comes with grave responsibilities. And that, of course, is exactly why you should write, talk, blog, influence—whatever opening God gives you, to talk to people about Jesus. How could you go wrong, if you use His Word carefully and honestly to tell other people about God’s great, unending love and grace? And if you use His Word, you can count on God’s prospering it. He promised He would.