The Gift of Encouragement

Silver Boxes with Bows on Top

Somewhere in time, 1928, Florence Littauer was born.    She is an Author, a conference speaker and someone I had never heard of until a couple of weeks ago. 

Bill and I volunteer in the church library.  I check the books in and out and he puts them away.  Every once and a while, he will find a book he thinks is interesting, he sets it aside.  The funny thing about this is he really doesn’t read them, he just glances through them, but I will read them cover to cover.    One day he grabbed a book called “Silver Boxes, The Gift of Encouragement” by Florence Littauer.  This book was published in 1989 and to be honest will probably be removed from the library.  It hadn’t been checked out since 2004 until the one time a few weeks ago when it was returned. 

Ephesians 5:29  “Do  not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

The book began with her recounting a time when she was asked to give a children’s sermon.   She was at the church to be a special speaker, but she came to the service to get a feel for the people and their needs, when the Pastor spotted her.  He invited her to give the children’s sermon and she really had nothing prepared, so she had to think quickly.  Thinking of Ephesians and the lessons she was working through with her own children, she started to speak on that.   She started talking to them about the power of words and how to encourage people with words.  One little girl remarked, “What she means is that our words should be like little silver boxes with bows on top”.

This was a profound statement and it caused her to really think about words.  I found many things she said interesting.  I enjoy teasing people, but do I ever take the time to encourage and build them up.  That caused me to think.  I don’t think I do that as well as I should.  I love my family, but when was the last time I told each one of them how special they are to me.  It has been a while.    

One story I found very amusing. She and her husband were at a conference, she was a key note speaker, but she hadn’t taken the podium yet.  They were waiting to set up outside a conference room where a conference on personal evangelism was just concluding. When the doors opened, she tried to smile and acknowledge ever one leaving the conference, but no one would make eye contact.  I thought that was funny, how can you personally evangelize if you don’t acknowledge people.    She went on the say that a smile and a kind word to a stranger can brighten a person’s day, so I tried it.

I went to Wal-Mart to buy groceries like I do every Saturday, but this time I tried to smile at the other ladies in the store.  I got a few smiles back, but mostly no one wanted to make eye contact.  I was in the cereal aisle and I noticed an older lady trying to get a box from the top shelf.  She was struggling.  The box she could reach had others on top and they were threatening to fall.  I looked around, there were others in the aisle not as height challenged and me, but no one was even looking.  I went over to her and said let me help.  I pulled out my writing pen and used it to push back the top boxes.  I could not reach the boxes, but the extra two inches of the pen worked.   She looked surprised that I would help, but she was grateful.  We talked a little bit about how they need to restructure the grocery store a little bit for those of us who are height challenged.   I wished her a nice day and continued shopping. 

The real test came at check out.  There is one cashier that I avoid if I can.  She never smiles and I always feel like checking out my groceries in an imposition of her time.   This time, I went to her line on purpose. I smiled and I said good morning, I asked how she was doing.  I did not get a miracle, but I did get a half of smile.  She still put enough groceries in each plastic bag to make the bust on the way from the car to the house, but at least I did not get open hostility. 

I want to encourage who ever reads this to make it a point over the next few days to brighten someone’s day with words or actions.  I would be interested to hear what happens.