During this Thanksgiving week and as we approach the holiday season, there’s one gift that everybody would love: a sincere compliment.  Proverbs 18:21 tells us “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” Have you ever been on the receiving end of life-giving words? Then, at other times, has something cruel or unkind been spoken to you, where the words lodged in your brain, bringing you sorrow each time you recalled them? A study by Harvard University claims it actually takes more than five positive comments to outweigh a negative comment.

In a world of so much negativity, I hope you will do all you can to bring life with your words today. I’ll never forget one of the first mentors I had who encouraged me as a teen saying to me one afternoon, “I know God has great plans for you; worldwide plans. I believe in Christ’s power in you.” His confidence in me gave me the courage to do scary things that I knew God was calling me to do.

Just recently, I wrote a book titled A Life on Fire, honoring some of the most influential people in my life—the ones who believed in me and spoke encouraging words to me that truly changed the course of my life.

You have the ability to make a big impact on somebody’s life with your words. Be an encourager today.     

This is Luis Palau.