Here is a repost of a blog written for Life Lessons earlier this Spring. I was thinking on this passage in Proverbs again this week and had two incidents of someone speaking encouragement to me that I so desperately needed. It was such a blessing. I did some more reading on the word "fitly" in this passage. Several commentaries had some insight - some feel that the word fitly refers to the idea of being in "season." I like this imagery especially with the fruit analogy. But I also appreciate the idea of it meaning "quickly." We should never resist the opportunity to speak words of kindness and encouragement to someone else and to do it with quickness. I know that my procrastination sometimes leads me to not do something - the same is in a moment where I am prompted to speak an encouraging word to someone and don't, I'm not likely to revisit that moment again. It's best to act on those promptings with immediacy.
Another reason to act quickly is that we have no idea what tomorrow holds for us. James reminds us that life is a vapor. We need to speak kindness and encouragement while we still have the time to do so. Tragic circumstances exist all around us each day. Sometimes they touch our lives personally and these days hurt. Don't delay in speaking your words - when fitly spoken they are apples of gold in pictures of silver.
Here is the other post from April - I hope it will encourage you!