Encouragement Stories: Encouraging Lesson from a Frog Tale

A group of frogs were hopping contentedly through the woods, going
about their froggy business, when two of them fell into a deep pit.
All of the other frogs gathered around the pit to see what could be
done to help their companions. When they saw how deep the pit was, the
rest of the dismayed group agreed that it was hopeless and told the
two frogs in the pit that they should prepare themselves for their
fate, because they were as good as dead.
Unwilling to accept this terrible fate, the two frogs began to jump
withall of their might.
Some of the frogs shouted into the pit that it was hopeless and that
the two frogs would not be in that situation if they had been more
careful, more obedient tothe froggy rules, and more responsible. The
other frogs continued sorrowfully shouting thatthey should save their
energy and give up, sincethey were already as good as dead.
The two frogs continued jumping as hard as they could and after
several hours of desperate effort were quite weary.
Finally, one of the frogs took heed to the calls of his fellows. Spent
and disheartened, he quietly resolved himself to his fate, lay down at
the bottom of the pit and died as the others lookedon in helpless
grief. The other frog continued to jump with every ounce ofenergy he
had, although his body was wracked with pain and he was completely
exhausted.
His companions began a new, yelling for him to accept his fate, stop
the pain and just die. The weary frog jumped harder and harder and -
wonder of wonders! Finally leapt so high that he sprang from the pit.
Amazed, the other frogs celebrated his miraculousfreedom and then
gathering around him asked, "Why did you continue jumping when we told
you it was impossible?" Reading their lips, the astonished frog
explained to them that he was deaf and thatwhen he saw their gestures
and shouting, he thought they were cheering him on. What he had
perceived as encouragement inspiredhim to try harder and to succeed
against all odds.
This simple Frog story contains a powerful lesson. Your encouragingor
positive words can lift someone up and help him or her make it through
the day. Your destructive or negative words can cause deep wounds;
they may be the weapons that destroy someone's desire to continue
trying - or even their life. Your destructive, careless word can
diminish someone in the eyes of others, destroy their influence and
have a lasting impact on the way others respond to them.
Allah (SWT) says in the Holy Qur'an: "Have We not made for him two
eyes, And a tongue and two lips?" (Surat Al-Balad,90:8-9).
It is narrated that the Holy Prophet Mohammad (saw)has said:
"Affliction caused by the tongue is worse than (that caused by) the
strike of the blade of a sword."
Be careful of what you say. Speak life to those who cross your path
because a word of encouragement during a failure is worth more than an
hour of praise after success.
The power of words:
Words can be weapons. Words can wound, humiliate and inflict painfar
greater than physical violence. Words can be used to inflame passions,
to arouse anger, to declare war and to destroy. But just as potent as
they are as weapons, Words can also heal wounds and make peace. They
can be soothing to those in grief, they can offer hopeto those in
despair. Indeed, well-chosen words have a power and a beauty that can
project well beyond one lifetime.Think of the great works of
literature that still enrich our lives today, centuries after they
werewritten.
It is sometimes hard to understand that an encouraging word can go
such a long way. Anyone can speak words that tend to rob another of
the spirit to continue in difficult times. Special is the individual
who willtake the time to encourage another. It has been narrated that
the Holy Prophet Mohammad (saw) was asked: "O Messenger of Allah,
which of the Muslims is best?" and he relied, "He who the Muslims are
safe from his tongue and his hand."