There’s a new game for the reading classes next semester, the word game. Fourty, four, and five letter words are printed and laminated. A bucket is used to carry and store them. It is passed around the class and each player will take one card. If they can read the word on the card, then they get to keep the card, if they can’t then the word is returned to the bucket. The player with the most cards wins the game and all students in turn learn more new words. You will be pleasantly surprised at how interactive kids are and how competitive they can be. Even the most quiet students will find themselves competing for the next word.

Imagine life is like that bucket, full of words that can be returned if we said hurtful words or simply the wrong thing. Unfortunately, life is not like that. A promise is a promise. I have a niece who used to cry a lot when she got upset. Her mother would ask her what was wrong and all we’ll hear are muffled sounds and continuous crying. “Use your words, girl, use your words”. This phrase stuck with me and now I use it on my own four-year-old. Crying is a good outlet but in order for us to understand each other, using your words and telling someone about why you’re upset would allow us to help. Communication and responding in the right way is key to understanding someone else’s pain.

Talking about upsetting, sad, frustrating situations in life is good therapy even if the listener cannot immediately fix your problem. Sometimes, we don’t want anything fixed, we just want someone to listen and be there for us. Letting it out means you are acknowledging that pain and in some small way, asking for help from friends, relatives, or a trusted colleague. If you are surrounded by good people, they will give you sound advice and you will leave feeling validated, valued, and appreciated. It means you are worth the time and that you also add value to their own lives.

We will find help in many places. Just make sure your faith and trust are not misplaced. Not everyone who acts as a cheerleader is there to support you. Not everyone has pure intentions and is genuinely happy for you when you succeed. One day you are all right and the next day, you suddenly realise that the old foundations that have served you well in the past are crumbling. You are not safe anymore and must forge a new path. Those things and people that you placed your trust in have let you down. A feeling of panic bordering on despair starts to take over. Be careful who you trust with your secrets and hopes for the future.

Thankfully, there is hope and reassurance in Christ. Even if it is pitch dark right now, look past the darkness and see the bright promise of dawn. The promise of a new day and renewal. We look at events in terms of time, it is what humans do but God sees them from an eternal perspective. Put your trust in the Lord and your faith won’t be misplaced. After all, it is silly to fully place your soul in the hands of another human. While we enjoy another peaceful Sunday Samoa, remember that words can be meaningful, uplifting, encouraging, and can actually change a life. Life and death are on the tongue, so let’s be mindful of what we say to one another and always be truthful when it comes to matters of the heart.