I’m always a little amused when new friends think I’m on the quiet side. And I am a little bit, until I get comfortable with you. After that, watch out! Grab the earplugs. Hunker down with me for some sweet tea, laughs and conversation. I love people and stories. Talking with folks charges my batteries. It doesn’t matter if it’s deep conversation, shooting the breeze or just being goofy. I enjoy it all.
But there have been times in my life when I didn’t have words, when I didn’t know what to say. How does one respond when friends and family have been evacuated from their homes because of hurricanes or fires? When their possessions are ruined and mold caused by floodwater coats the walls of once beautiful homes?
How can I know what to say when a friend has just gotten one of “those” phone calls from the doctor that will change her life forever? Or when loved ones have to bury someone precious to them?
How can I find the right words when people I care about have just been laid off or fired from their jobs? Or when their homes have just been foreclosed or their cars repossessed?
What in the world can I do when I can’t find words? Here’s what I’ve discovered:
1. Go to friends with simple words like, “I love you,” or “let me know how I can help.”
2. Just be present. I’ve learned from others who’ve done that for me. It’s a special gift. Sometimes saying nothing is the best thing to do.
3. Offer love without words through a hug or holding a friend’s hand just to let her know I’m there. Simple gestures say so much.
4. Pray for them, going to the One who can provide comfort in a special way.
5. Claim God’s promises for them, those precious verses that have been tried and proven in my own life—and I can share those verses with them.
I’m so grateful that whenever I don’t know what to say or do, He always does. And that provides the most wonderful comfort that any of us could ever give or receive.
