Sunday was a long day…

It began with an early wake-up time because I was on the worship team. Three services later, it’s time to head home for a bit before returning for Marriage Class, where my wife and I have the privilege of leading a small group. After that, we celebrated the 60th birthday of our senior pastor. Somehow, we managed to pull it off as a surprise, but that’s not the point.

There was a small stage, a chair, and a microphone. As our beloved pastor sat in the chair, many who had prepared things to say came up and spoke, not a dry eye among them.

As I listened to the common theme of love, compassion, and fathering the fatherless, I thought what a beautiful thing I was witnessing. This type of talk is often reserved for eulogies…for obituaries. How awfully sad.

I found myself remembering times when I’d hoped that people would say things like that about me when I died, and thought “but how much better is this?”

Furthermore, there’s always been some sense of selfish desire attached to that, but I can honestly say that as I stood there, I thought what a blessing it would be to be used by God in such a way, to be found useful in His Kingdom.

Finally, an encouragement to encourage: Don’t hold the words back.

If you feel that you’re being told to encourage your brother, don’t get the messed-up idea that somehow that’s the enemy talking to you. He’s not really about encouragement (stealing, killing, destroying…). Don’t keep those words inside. Iron doesn’t sharpen iron until the connection is made, and there’s a high likelihood that the person you’re to encourage is hearing too much of the enemy in his ear. Let’s not allow that conversation to be one-sided.

Father, may we live our lives absolutely sold-out for Your Kingdom. May we seek it first and allow You to add the rest as You will. Help us to speak life and encouragement to our brothers and sisters who are co-laborers in that Kingdom. Help us speak and be love to those around us, so that Your Kingdom will continue to grow. Use us, Father, we ask in Jesus’ name!