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Apt Replies

             A person finds joy in giving an apt reply— and how good is a timely word. (Proverbs 15:23)

How often do you find just the right thing to say, three hours (days, years) after the conversation? I’ve told people that I love listening to what I say, because every once in a while, something good comes out. In other words, I discover an apt reply or timely word.

Comedy too often uses repartee and put-downs to generate laughs, which is why I watch, read, or listen to very little of it. But apt replies and well-timed words are the heart and soul of comedy.

We’re told that when someone is hurting, we should not say anything at first, but just be there with the person. At some point, however, an apt reply and timely word are needed.

And when that apt reply or timely word hits its target, the damage can be a bomb, a balm, or a surgical cut that removes a cancer from our lives or allows repair. The recipient is likely to find joy in an apt reply or timely word that fits the second and third categories. The joy and goodness may not be found in the words at first, but once they provide healing, strength, peace, and hope. 

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