Kim Hye-seong
One day, my daughter, a university student, asked me with a sullen face,
“Mom, does my face look that dark?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Today, someone asked me why my face was so sunburned. It made me feel a bit upset.”
Because I saw her every day, I had not realized her skin had darkened. I took a close look at her face and asked,
“Is that so? But why would that bother you?”
She pouted and slumped in her seat, looking glum. I wanted to comfort her, but the words wouldn’t come, and in the end, all I did was scold her.
A few days later, my daughter came home and called out to me in a cheerful voice.
“Mom, someone said something that made me really happy.”
She then shared what a Zion member had told her:
“Sister, your hard work really shows on your face. You must have shared the gospel so diligently under the scorching sun that your face is now filled with the light of the Holy Spirit. I want to be like you—zealous, with a face radiant in the Spirit.”
With a bright smile, my daughter shared,
“After hearing what that sister said today, I felt like my tanned skin was a badge of honor for preaching with all my heart, and it made me so happy.”
It made me realize once again how powerful words can be. Even when the message is the same, the way it is expressed can either hurt someone or bring them joy. I reflected on times when I may have spoken without considering this and wondered if my words had unintentionally hurt my brothers and sisters.
As the saying goes, “Kind words beget kind words.” I hope to always keep this in mind and strive to encourage my brothers and sisters with words that are gentle and encouraging.