During the sermon, a brother in Christ shared his own experience, which is still fresh in my memory.
The thing happened a long time ago. At that time, he was still serving in the in-person church, and he was very pious and enthusiastic. Every morning at five o'clock, he and some church staff would go to church for morning prayers.
One winter day, a sister who also participated in morning prayer told him that on her way to church, she always felt something behind her, as if something was following her. She looked back several times, but there was nothing. The sister said that she was a little afraid. Because of the long nights and short days in winter in north China, the sky was still in a hazy and slightly bright state at five o'clock in the morning. She asked him, "Is there a ghost following me?"
After hearing it, he didn't think of the matter in this sister's way, nor did he tell his sister to pray and use spiritual authority to cast out demons when that happened. The brother comforted her and said, “Don't be afraid! You are a child of God, and angels are by your side to watch over you when you go out and go in. The sounds you hear may be the footsteps of an angel, who is doing his duty and watching over you all the way.”
When the sister heard this, she was very happy! After that, even though the sister occasionally heard unknown sounds in the dark, she was not afraid anymore. She knew that it was the company of angels, and she became very happy...
Hearing this story reminds me that a word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver. It can be seen that a person's words if fitly spoken, will bring many beautiful things to people.
Another brother, who was very much in love with God when he first came to the Lord, began to serve in the church soon. But he was upset because when he was in church with other believers, what he said and did was very spiritual; after leaving the church and returning to his life, he often gave way to temptation and sinned. He hated himself and wanted to change, but there was nothing he could do. He felt like a two-faced person. He was really upset!
One day, in a conversation he told of his depravity and helplessness. He decided to give up his faith so that he would not do anything bad and disgrace the church and God.
When he said that he often sinned and didn't deserve to come to church, his friend told him, "No matter how bad the prodigal son is, he is a son, and no one can replace him in the father's heart. You are equally important in Father's heart! Anyone can abandon you, but Father loves you forever. He loves having you around him forever.” Those warm words made the brother shed tears...
The brother's heart was strengthened. He not only did not give up his faith, but also studied and served, and gradually changed himself in the process of studying and serving.
However, in today's church, there are many deviations in teaching, which lead to not speaking of God but of ghosts, and not speaking of God's love but always condemning others.
Once a little sister suffered from dizziness for no reason. She didn't know why that would happen, so she communed with one "devout" sister. That "devout" sister told her, "This is because of your sin, and the Father is punishing you.” She asked this little sister to confess all the mistakes she has made since childhood one by one. The little sister was so frightened that she knelt there and confessed for several hours. Finally, she was dizzy and could not stand up. Before that conversation, she didn't have much concern about this. Now she knew through the mouth of the sister that it was the Father who punished her. She began to be terrified of her faith, and her illness worsened instead of getting better. She stopped going to church, hurt by the words of the "pious" sister! Like an invisible sword, it left scars in her heart. To this day, she still holds the grudge and is still prejudiced against the church.
These examples tell us that Christians should say words that are good for building up.
A word fitly spoken can save many souls; it can also revive a church. May brothers and sisters be more careful in their speech, speak boldly of love, speak more of progress, and speak less of conviction and terror. A word fitly spoken will bring God's blessing from heaven. May we practice ourselves in words first, and strive not to stumble in what we say, which the scripture says is the perfect man.
- Translated by Stephen Huang
弟兄在讲道时，分享了一个自己的亲身经历，让我记忆犹新。
弟兄说，那是很久以前的事情了，那时弟兄还在实体教会里做服侍，他很虔诚，也很热心侍奉。每天早上五点的时候，他和一些教会同工都去教堂做早祷。
在一年冬季的某一天，有一位也参与早祷的姊妹跟弟兄讲，自己在来教堂的路上，总感觉身后有动静，好像有什么东西在跟着她。她回头看了好几遍，可什么也没有。姊妹说，她有些心慌。因为北方的冬天夜长昼短，早上五点钟的时候，天还处于朦胧的微微见亮的状态。她问弟兄：是不是有鬼跟着我呀？
弟兄听后，他没有按照姊妹的思维来解决问题。他也没有告诉姊妹遇到这件事情要祷告，要用属灵的权柄赶鬼。弟兄安慰姊妹说，你不要害怕！你是神的儿女，你出你入都有天使在你的身边看顾保守你。你听到的声音那可能是天使的脚步声，它在履行自己的职责，在一路看顾保守着你。
姊妹听了这话，十分喜乐！从那以后，姊妹即使在黑夜里偶尔听到不明的声音，她也没有一丝的恐惧，她知道那是天使的陪伴，她变得很喜乐……
听到弟兄的这个故事，让我想起：一句话说得合宜，就如金苹果在银篮子里。可见，一个人的话语，如果说得合宜，会给人带来许多美好的事情。
还有一位弟兄，刚刚信主时很追求，不久，便参与了教会的服侍。但他很苦恼！因为当他在教堂里与弟兄姊妹在一起时，表现得很属灵；离开教堂，回到现实生活上后，他又把持不住诱惑常常犯罪。他恨自己，也想改变自己，但他无能为力。他感觉自己就是一个两面人。他很苦恼！
有一天，他在交通时，述说了自己的败坏和无奈，他打算放弃信仰，免得日后自己做出什么不好的事情，给教会和上帝丢脸。
当他说到自己常常犯罪不配来教会时，与他交通者告诉他:“浪子做得再不好，他却是儿子的身份，谁也取代不了他在父心中的位置。你在天父的心里的位置同样重要！任何人都可能嫌弃你，但天父永远爱你。祂永远喜欢你在祂的身边。”几句暖心的话，让弟兄流下了眼泪……
弟兄的心得到了坚固，他不但没有放弃自己的信仰，还一边学习，一边服侍，在学习和服侍中渐渐地改变了自己。
然而，今天的教会里，在教导上出现了许多偏差，导致不讲神讲鬼，不说神的爱，却总爱定罪别人。
有一位小姊妹得了头晕的病，无缘无故就会发作。她不知道什么原因，便与“属灵”的姐妹交通。“属灵”的姐妹告诉她：这是你犯罪了，天父惩罚你。让她一条一条地把自己从小到大做过的错事统统认一遍罪。小姊妹很胆怯，跪在那里认罪了好几个小时，最后头晕眼花、站不起来了。没交通时，她没有太多的顾虑，如今通过“属灵”姐妹的口知道了是天父惩罚她，她开始对信仰恐惧，病没有好反而加重了。她不再去教堂，“属灵”姐妹口无遮拦的话，让她很受伤害！像一把无形的利刃，让她内心留下伤痕。直到今天，她仍然耿耿于怀，对教会仍然持有偏见。
这些事例告诉我们，基督徒要说上进造就人的话。
一句合宜的话，可以挽救许多的灵魂；一句合宜的话，也能复兴一间教会。愿弟兄姊妹在说话上能有分寸，可以大胆地讲爱，多说上进的话，少说定罪和恐怖的话。一句合宜的话会从天上带下神的祝福。愿我们在言语上先操练自己，力争都能做到没有过错。经上说，那就是完全人了。
一句合宜的话可以拯救灵魂
During the sermon, a brother in Christ shared his own experience, which is still fresh in my memory.
The thing happened a long time ago. At that time, he was still serving in the in-person church, and he was very pious and enthusiastic. Every morning at five o'clock, he and some church staff would go to church for morning prayers.
One winter day, a sister who also participated in morning prayer told him that on her way to church, she always felt something behind her, as if something was following her. She looked back several times, but there was nothing. The sister said that she was a little afraid. Because of the long nights and short days in winter in north China, the sky was still in a hazy and slightly bright state at five o'clock in the morning. She asked him, "Is there a ghost following me?"
After hearing it, he didn't think of the matter in this sister's way, nor did he tell his sister to pray and use spiritual authority to cast out demons when that happened. The brother comforted her and said, “Don't be afraid! You are a child of God, and angels are by your side to watch over you when you go out and go in. The sounds you hear may be the footsteps of an angel, who is doing his duty and watching over you all the way.”
When the sister heard this, she was very happy! After that, even though the sister occasionally heard unknown sounds in the dark, she was not afraid anymore. She knew that it was the company of angels, and she became very happy...
Hearing this story reminds me that a word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver. It can be seen that a person's words if fitly spoken, will bring many beautiful things to people.
Another brother, who was very much in love with God when he first came to the Lord, began to serve in the church soon. But he was upset because when he was in church with other believers, what he said and did was very spiritual; after leaving the church and returning to his life, he often gave way to temptation and sinned. He hated himself and wanted to change, but there was nothing he could do. He felt like a two-faced person. He was really upset!
One day, in a conversation he told of his depravity and helplessness. He decided to give up his faith so that he would not do anything bad and disgrace the church and God.
When he said that he often sinned and didn't deserve to come to church, his friend told him, "No matter how bad the prodigal son is, he is a son, and no one can replace him in the father's heart. You are equally important in Father's heart! Anyone can abandon you, but Father loves you forever. He loves having you around him forever.” Those warm words made the brother shed tears...
The brother's heart was strengthened. He not only did not give up his faith, but also studied and served, and gradually changed himself in the process of studying and serving.
However, in today's church, there are many deviations in teaching, which lead to not speaking of God but of ghosts, and not speaking of God's love but always condemning others.
Once a little sister suffered from dizziness for no reason. She didn't know why that would happen, so she communed with one "devout" sister. That "devout" sister told her, "This is because of your sin, and the Father is punishing you.” She asked this little sister to confess all the mistakes she has made since childhood one by one. The little sister was so frightened that she knelt there and confessed for several hours. Finally, she was dizzy and could not stand up. Before that conversation, she didn't have much concern about this. Now she knew through the mouth of the sister that it was the Father who punished her. She began to be terrified of her faith, and her illness worsened instead of getting better. She stopped going to church, hurt by the words of the "pious" sister! Like an invisible sword, it left scars in her heart. To this day, she still holds the grudge and is still prejudiced against the church.
These examples tell us that Christians should say words that are good for building up.
A word fitly spoken can save many souls; it can also revive a church. May brothers and sisters be more careful in their speech, speak boldly of love, speak more of progress, and speak less of conviction and terror. A word fitly spoken will bring God's blessing from heaven. May we practice ourselves in words first, and strive not to stumble in what we say, which the scripture says is the perfect man.
- Translated by Stephen Huang
Story: Word Fitly Spoken Can Save a Soul
