This past week a friend, who also is a writer, asked me to prepare a letter of reference for her and I agreed. In fact, I was both delighted and honoured. Because not only is she an outstanding wordsmith, my friend is a person of integrity, one of those “pure gold” characters who can be trusted.
But does she have faults? I haven’t noticed them, but I’m sure she does since she’s human. Are there areas in which her writing could be improved? Probably, simply because perfection in anything isn’t often attained. Can I still wholeheartedly recommend and appreciate her work? You bet I can!
As I have been preparing this letter on her behalf I thought of a number of letters written centuries ago. Known as the Epistles, they were written to Christians living in various Middle Eastern cities such as Philippi, Galatia and Ephesus. These past few weeks I’ve been reading one letter at a time and in one sitting in order to get the full impact of what the apostle Paul had to say to each church. Circumstances were slightly different in each place, but there was one common thread. He began each letter with words of commendation and blessing. He called them brethren and saints even when words of correction followed and he ended each one with prayers for grace and comfort.
Sadly and too often, we find it easier to point out a person’s fault than we do to comfort them, easier to shun or scorn them for their failings rather than to praise them for the progress they’ve made. There may be a need for correction, but never for condemnation and, because we probably have no idea of what someone else is going through, let’s always keep Paul’s words in mind: “Therefore comfort each other and edify one another.”
