I've been think about this one. "I love you" was my first thought, and those three words certainly rank right up there, but only in quite limited circumstances. Jesus said, "Love your enemies and pray for those who beat up on you," and that is a very good thing to do (it siphons off a huge part of their power to hurt you), but actually telling them, "I love you", tends to be distinctly unhelpful.

Words can be precious; they can also be cheap and manipulative. "I love you" ranks up near the top of that list, too.

Even when sincere, "I love you" can mean so many different things. It is easy to misunderstand and be misunderstood.

I would much rather hear a simple, unadorned "Thank you." No frills, no window-dressing, just a simple, look-me-in-the-eyes "Thank you."

Thank you.