“As cold water to a weary soul, so is good news from a far country” (Proverbs 25:25).
The immense value of little things is easily underestimated. A brief statement of encouragement. A snippet of genuine praise. A kind word. Mark Twain once declared, “I can live two months on a good compliment.” For a soul that is parched by discouragement, disappointment and hurt, an earful of kindness, compassion and appreciation is inestimable in value.
So is good news. The Greek word euaggelion was used by its native speakers for the good news of military victory from a distant land. Like so many other words of Koine Greek, it was elevated in stature when used by New Testament writers. The gospel is the good news of Jesus’ spiritual victory over Satan, temptation, sin, death, Hades, and Gehenna. His titanic war with the Adversary of God and culminated in the death, burial, and resurrection of the prophesied Savior.
The good news from the “far country” of heaven is that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation (Rom. 1:16). Every Christian can be more than conquerors (hypernikao, literally “super-victors”) through Christ. Like cold water to a weary soul, the gospel is for every creature (Mark. 16:15) in every nation (Mat. 28:19).
