The Right Word at the Right Time

I read this devotion this morning and it was a great reminder to me that sometimes it's OK to say nothing. God will give us the right things to say at the right time, all we need to do is listen and not be in a hurry to speak.

The Right Word at the Right Time

Proverbs 15:23 contains a powerful truth,A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, and a word spoken in due season, how good it is!Notice that this verse talks about not just a word spoken, but a word spoken in due season--at the proper time. How good it is! It is critical for words of encouragement, words of comfort, words of counsel, words of wisdom, and even words of correction to be spoken in due season. Timing is just as important as content.

I read once about a lady who invited family and friends over for Thanksgiving dinner. When they received the invitation, they let her know that they were going to come. In fact, they were looking forward to the day.She really put on quite a spread. She baked pies and bread; she cooked a turkey with all of the trimmings--an incredible meal. When the time came for her guests to arrive, she lit candles and put the finishing touches on decorating the house.The only problem was, no one showed up.Then she remembered the calendar she had picked up from a local business. On that calendar it said that Thanksgiving was on the 21st rather than on the last Thursday of the month as it normally is every year. At the time she thought it was strange, but she figured that they must have moved the holiday.She had prepared her sumptuous banquet a week early! The content was great but the timing was not so great.So it is with our words. They can be just the right words, perfect for the need of the person, but if not delivered at the right time, they can fall short.Be sensitive to pick the right time to speak as well as the right words to say.