Editorial December 29, 1986 Issue

Words from the heart—words that heal

William E. Moody

We live in an age when it could be said that despite the many challenges society confronts, there is certainly no shortage of words! They're everywhere. The ideas and information keep spewing out, even when we feel we've had all we can handle. Stop for a moment and look around you—television, newspapers, books, billboards, personal computers, the box your breakfast cereal comes in, even the imprinted pencil I'm using to write notes for this editorial (not to mention the editorial itself). There's no escaping other people's words. And it can seem that there are so many words that at times there's little meaning left in the torrent.

But words are not really cheap. They can count for a great deal. It's only the way they are used—or misused—that cheapens them. Thoughtless words, careless words, angry words, untrue words—these are the ones we can do without. Yet in spite of the excess and waste, whenever the heart speaks of its own yearnings, its hopes, discoveries, intuition, or spiritual insight, something remarkable happens. Other hearts respond, some new light is seen, and lives may even be uplifted and healed by the truth that is glimpsed. The Discoverer of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy, once wrote: "When the heart speaks, however simple the words, its language is always acceptable to those who have hearts."^{Miscellaneous Writings, p. 262.}

Many people have been moved by the words of one particular man, whose deeds so perfectly matched what he said. Christ Jesus, the Saviour, said things like "Thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace"; "Rise, take up thy bed, and walk"; "Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more"; "I will not leave you comfortless"; "These things have I spoken unto you ... that your joy might be full."^{Mark 5:34; John 5:8; John 8:11; John 14:18; John 15:11.}

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