Don’t Be a Spiritual Hospice

(Proverbs 12:18 KJV)  There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.

This is a lesson I need to learn.  Rebuke and correction are part of our lives, but our attitude and approach are to be tailored to the people we deal with.  We see passages that talk about the rod and force having their place but there is a danger for the one who “speaks” (981).  The NASB has this “speaks rashly” because it means more than just talking.

This brings to mind another passage in Proverbs:

    PRO 15:1 A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

Our ultimate goal is not to win an argument or look good but to “bring healing” (4832).  There is a difference between healing and comforting.  Pain relievers don’t necessarily heal but often it is necessary to deal with the trauma or shock will kill.  The healer deals with both, but never loses the goal of healing. 

If all we are concerned about is comfort we become a spiritual hospice, making death comfortable.

So?  Comfort as you can, but don’t forget it is only one step in a plan to redeem.