But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. Hebrews 3:13 NIV
John looked
for encouragement—he thought in the right place.
John had been
drawing disability from the company he had worked with for several years.
Sadly, the medical benefits portion of it would soon run dry. He was feeling
discouraged when he called his mom for encouragement. Trying to be a good mom,
she dished out what she assumed would be encouraging words. Unfortunately, she
failed, just as I do sometimes.
“Mom, I
was just informed that my health care benefits will be discontinued at the end
of the year. Neither I nor the kids will have any insurance. Don’t know how I
will afford to buy my medicines.”
“Don’t
worry, son. God will work things out. Don’t let it get you down”
“I’m
trying not to let it get me down.”
“Do you
remember Mike Farmer?”
“No.”
“Yes, you
do. He was married to your first cousin’s best friend. He worked at the cotton
mill in Orangeburg—the same one I did. Well, anyway, I was talking to his
mother the other day, and she said it took him five years to get his
disability. He ended up in a homeless shelter for three years. And then when he
finally got it, it was six months before he got his first check.”
“Well, I
hope mine doesn’t take that long.”
“And do
you remember Philip Dawson who used to go to that church your dad pastored in
Tennessee?”
“No, I
was only three years old when we lived there.”
“Well,
you ought to remember him. He used to give you and your brother tootsie rolls
all the time. Anyway, his son developed some kind of neurological disease when
he was young—probably in his thirties. He was turned down every time he applied
for disability. In fact, he died before he was ever approved. They didn’t even
have money to bury him.”
“Well, I
think I will go now.”
“Okay, son. But just remember, God is in control. And if you ever need any more
stories of encouragement, I’m just a phone call away.”
The
temptations to sin and the difficulties of living in a world gone sour make
encouragement a necessity—giving it and receiving it. The writer of Hebrews
encourages his readers to give it to each other, but not the kind this mom
tried so hard to give her son.
Encouragement
by its very nature should be uplifting. Spirits rise, fortitude increases, and
steps are livelier when encouragement is received.
Who can
you give a word of encouragement to today?
Prayer: As
You, Father, encourage us each day, so help us to encourage others.
Tweetable: Whom do you need to encourage?
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