And all were speaking well of Him, and wondering at the gracious words which were falling from His lips … —Luke 4:22 (NAS)
From my childhood I have loved words. My mother tells me I was forming complete sentences before I was two. It’s no surprise my all-time favorite game is Scrabble!
A few years back I discovered among the sons of Jacob, Naphtali— whose descendants comprise one of the twelve tribes of Israel. The patriarchal blessing given him is found in Genesis 49:21 (NAS): “Naphtali is a doe let loose, He gives beautiful words.”
I’ve chosen Naphtali as my “spiritual tribe.” I want to live in this promise of giving beautiful words. They might be words of greeting, as at the post office when a customer at the counter said she was new in town, and I called, “Welcome! This is a great place to live,” as she went out the door. Or they could be encouraging words: When a grocery store employee was feeling frazzled by holiday shoppers, I gave her a greeting card that said, “Remember that when you’re beside yourself, God is by your side.”
I also enjoy using words creatively. The other morning I thought the gleaming sun looked like a shiny copper kettle. And one night when a star was just “underneath” the full moon, it looked to me like an egg laid by a fat, white hen.
Beautiful words are wacky and winsome and wise. They transform. What a miracle, this world of words!
Jesus, Word of God—inhabit my words and make them wonderful.
