05/28/2026
PASTOR'S POST-IT: AUDIBLE SAPPHIRE
In Jonathan Cahnâs book âThe Book of Mysteriesâ each page is broken into a different day of a diary by a traveler who encounters a teacher in the desert who he spends an entire year with. On day 106 the teacher places a precious stone, which is deep blue in color, in the hand of the traveler. The teacher refers to the stone as a biblical sapphire; he goes on to explain that he did not give it to the traveler because of its appearance, but because of what it signifies.
The teacher explains that âSapphire comes from an ancient biblical Hebrew wordâŠSappir.â The Hebrew word for sapphire comes from the Hebrew root saphar and saphar means to speak, to tell, or to declare. So, the word sapphire means to speak.
The traveler asks what the connection is, the teacher explains that âMore precious than any treasured jewel is the Word. Every Word of God is a sapphire, a spoken sapphire, and yet much more precious. If one has no treasures in this world but has the Word, it is a treasure of priceless value. When you read or hear a Word from God, receive it as if you were receiving a priceless jewel, and give it in the same way.â
âGive jewels to those in need, jewels of blessing, jewels of encouragement, jewels of strength, jewels of mercy, jewels of love, jewels of forgiveness, jewels of joy, and jewels of hope. Let your every word bring life to those who hear itâŠa spoken jewelâŠan audible sapphire.â
We used to hear, âSticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me.â Unfortunately, we know that this is not necessarily true, words can have an impact on us and in some cases the words someone speaks to us today may follow us for years to come. All of us, when we were children or even maybe as adults, have, at one time or another, had our feelings hurt by what someone has said.
Solomon wrote about this in Proverbs,16:23-24 âThe hearts of the wise make their mouths prudent, and their lips promote instruction. Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.â
Every week we hear where some teenager has been bullied on the internet, or that some worker acts violently at their workplace because of the way someone treated them.
Think of your words when you speak not only to people you know but to strangers you encounter every day, think of the words not only as precious jewels but as a healing balm for the soul.
In His Service,
Dan Hecke
