Letters are winged messengers

Rev C.S. Joseph of Kunnamkulam , a missionary of the Mar Thoma church, used to write to me long letters, often enclosing tracts.. Those were early days of my journey of faith, He took pains to refer to great examples about men of faith, living and dead and words of encouragement from the Bible. Those letters were like water to a thirsty soul. I wasn't prompt in replying to his letters but that wouldn't discourage him from writing.

Today the art of writing letter is a lost art. The volume of letters handled by post offices has considerably dwindled. The birth of the mobile phone and introduction of e mail as a medium of quick communication had pushed letter writing into oblivion.

Manufacturers of mobiles and also those handling mobile phone services, are reaping rich profits. But does it mean people are enriching themselves by more intensive communication? Are human hearts swelled up with love for one another so that they are sending out words of love and emotions through cell phones and computers? Far from it.

It was my old habit to not tear away or dispose of personal letters received by post. Learning from the revered missionary, I too learnt the habit of writing letters to needy people, needy of comfort in their sickness, perplexity or anxieties over hundreds of issues.

But then, those heaps of letters that have accumulated over the years and tell the story of my relationships with all kinds of people I have met during my journey through this life are too bulky to carry with me. As my hairs have turned grey, I take delight in re-reading them, recalling old associations, happy memories of youthful days, benevolence and affections of uncles, friends and others. Old photographs are valuable; even so old letters which remind you of the paths you have trodden. Letters from a mother long after she had departed for her heavenly home could still speak to you, isn't it?

Letters offer you immense scope to communicate with people who are busy, who are too important and inaccessible. Who doesn't love a personal letter? A letter expressing gratitude for help received, a letter reflecting goodwill and affection, a letter sharing miracles of faith and on God's ways with man?

Lovers exchanged letters reassuring one another of loyalty and love from time im-memorial. In history we have examples of men like Lincoln whose letters exercised powerful influence not only on the recipients but also the posterity for whom they were preserved in history. The letters of Jawaharlal Nehru and Gandhi were examples nearer home.

For many a man in distress and discouragement, your letter will prove the ray of hope; the right words can persuade an unhappy soul to choose life instead of death. Indeed, words have power.

Letters can be vehicles of faith .St Paul's great letters are part of the Bible. And today it is our privilege to use the great resources of the Bible which could all be used to meet the needs of all kinds of people , to comfort, encourage, motivate and ennoble other lives.

While entering into debates, reasoning or arguments could be futile, letters allow time for the word to seep into the souls of men; the life-giving word will do the talking better in a letter form. Spoken words often evaporate, written words stay on and continue to speak.

The personal touch in evangelism also lends authenticity and persuasive power to the written word and such witnessing has a role in our busy world. But while men are racing here and there, they have lonely and confused hearts and minds unable to cope with the realities of life. They are perpetually on the move in tune with the world; getting their attention is the real task. A letter is one good option whatever the technology employed to communicate.

In the Book of Isaiah (55:11) it is stated that "His words do not return unto Him void but accomplish that which He desired". His words carry power and they are available for us to accomplish His purposes in the lives of people.

That even the secular world acknowledges the power of the spoken word is clear from the following :

Soft words sung in a lullaby will put a child to sleep. Inciteful words will stir up a mob to violence. Eloquent words will send armies marching into the face of death. Encouraging words will fan into flame the genius of a Rembrandt or a Lincoln. Powerful words will mold the public mind as a sculptor molds the clay. Words, spoken or written, are a dynamic force.

Writing of Napoleon and his Italian campaign, Emil Ludwig said, "Half of what he achieves is achieved by the power of words."

Words are the swords we use in our battle for success and happiness. How others react toward us depends, in a large measure, upon the words we speak to them. Life is a great whispering gallery that sends back echoes of the words we send out! Our words are immortal, too. They go marching through the years in the lives of all those with whom we come in contact. As Wilfred Peterson writes, "When you speak, when you write, remember the creative power of words."