TELL THEM

“They helped every one his neighbour; and every one said to his brother, Be of good courage. So the carpenter encouraged the goldsmith, and he that smootheth with the hammer him that smote the anvil, saying, It is ready for the sodering: and he fastened it with nails, that it should not be moved.”

Isaiah 41:6, 7

King James Version

Thursday night I called the manager of the trailer park where I live.  I have had to call her several times in the last three or four weeks to report things that needed fixing.  When I called her, the first thing I said “Linda, I am not calling to ask you to send someone to fix something, I am just calling you to thank you for all your kindness and all you have done for me and to tell you that I love you.

She was quiet for a minute and then she said “Thank you for calling me and telling me this.  You have made my day.  I needed this”.

Many years ago, God laid it on my heart to call the operator and tell the operator “Merry Christmas.  Thank you for your service”.  The operator got very quiet.  I thought she had hung up and then she said “Thank you.  I have been an operator for several years and nobody has ever wished me Merry Christmas.

We don’t know what is going on in someone’s heart.  All we know is what they tell us.  It is so important and even urgent that we encourage one another and express our appreciation for what they have done four us.

Many years ago, I had a pastor who used to ask his wife to come up and stand beside him. My pastor would put his arm around her and tell her “I love you and appreciate all you do for me”.  I learned a lot from my pastor’s example about encouragement and showing appreciation.

Joyce Landorf Heaatherley, a Christian speaker and author says on one of her teaching tapes “A pastor gave the wrong scripture reference.  How awful.  You preach it Pastor and I’ll turn the pages”.  I don’t think we understand how important it is to not only pray for our pastor and family but also to encourage them.

Many years ago, I received an email from a pastor who wrote “I’m thinking of not being a pastor any more.  My family and I were so happy and excited when we moved here but all we have received is criticism.  How dare you and I criticize our pastor!  We read in the Bible.  “Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm” (1 Chronicles 16:22).  I can honestly say that I have the best Pastor in the world.  Pastor Davis not only preaches how we should live, He shows us how to live by his example.  I love my Pastor very much and thank God for the privilege of having Pastor Davis as my Pastor.

May God help us to be a comfort and an encouragement to all we see.  It will make God happy.  We read in the Bible.  “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God” (Isaiah 40:1).  Are you an encouragement and comfort to your loved ones or do you criticize them and take them for granted?  It’s not enough to tell people we love them, we must prove we love them by our actions.

Joanne Lowe

September 14, 2019