MANY of our little readers may have heard this sweet expression, “Kind words can never die.” There is much truth in it, for, though the words may fade from memory and pass away, yet their impress remains, and the results will be gathered up in that coming day when words and deeds will all be reviewed. Let me give you a little instance in the life of a dear, aged Christian which will illustrate the truth of what I have been saying. I will relate the incident in his own words.
“One of the very best visits I ever had in my life was from and with a man I never saw. I was sick and in trouble once, and went to Europe for a change, and to see my parents. I wanted to stop at the Astor House, New York. It was so full, there was not room for me, but I got a cot on the ninth story. There was another cot in the room.
I lay down, turned my face to the wall, and tried to sleep. Someone took the other cot. When I turned, the light was out, if there ever was any. I could not sleep — tumbled and complained some. At length the one on the other cot said, ‘Friend you can’t sleep; can I help you?’ I told him, ‘no.’ But he was an angel sent by God to remind me that this was not the place of our rest. I got awake in the morning, but he was gone; he saw I was asleep and did not say good bye.”
This unknown, and unseen friend, did not know, and probably will not know, until eternity, how the kind words of comfort he spoke cheered the heart of a weary traveler. Had he grown impatient at the restlessness of his roommate, and spoken impatiently, he would but have increased the sorrow and discomfort of the tired one; as it was, the kind words he spoke were as oil upon the troubled waters, and the tried one could afterwards say, as we have seen, “One of the very best visits I ever had in my life was from and with a man I never saw.” Let us not forget that kind words will live, and their results will be very precious.
“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.”
ML 06/07/1903