I don’t mean to get “preachy” but I feel I have something to say to all of us human beings caught up in this tragedy of November 28, 2008. Many of you who are reading this have been touched in some way by this tragic event. Most of us are a part of this pain filled journey to one degree or another. You may have been in the middle of the shooting at the hospital when it all came down or you may be like me, one who came in the middle of the event. You may have been affected indirectly. Nevertheless we have all been impacted greatly. It’s been over a month now and I want to share this simple principle from the New Testament.
Galatians 6:9 encourages us not to “get weary in well doing”. We are all doing well when we encourage one another. One of my greatest spiritual gifts is the gift of encouragement. I’m not sure if it is in fact a Spiritual Gift for me or a Spiritual Decision I made many years ago to be an encouragement to others.
Contrary to what some people may believe I really don’t do that many things very well. I just have a few things that I can do well. For many years I struggled with trying to do too many things that weren’t my strengths at all. I really don’t think I am that different from all the rest of us. Most of us just have a few things we do well. However we should not allow the fact that we don’t do “all things” well stop us from doing what little we can do.
However I think encouraging one another is something we can all do to one degree or another. I think it begins with a smile! Then it continues with a kind word or a sincere compliment to that person. The key here is a sincere compliment not cheap flattery. Then it continues with asking some questions about the other person’s life and family and them LISTEN!
Listening is a lost art for many people. Most of us want so much to talk about our problems and concerns we forget to listen. Please don’t get the impression that I have mastered the art of Listening. I am far from a master; however I have been working on it for many years. I still have a long way to go but remember “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”. So we must start and there is no better time to start than today.
It is so easy to get discouraged and give up. What’s the use no one cares any way. Why bother? Well I will tell you why bother, because it really does matter to others.
From a personal perspective, when I sat at the hospital with Margaret and Jerry in Anchorage those first 12 days and in Seattle for 7 days, I can’t describe how encouraging it was for me to read those post on the status page and comments on my Blog and the emails from friends back home and from so many that I didn’t even know. Just to know that you were praying and thinking about us there was such a blessing. I so looked forward to opening the site and reading the new post every day. I want to say thank you to so many of you who have written on the status site and on my Blog.
Now it is even more important for us not to get “tired” of writing and become complacent with our prayers and thoughts and comments. It really does mean so much to Jerry and Margaret in Seattle.
Not only to Jerry and Margaret but to the others in our extended family all over this great land. Please don’t get discouraged and think it doesn’t matter if you tell them you care and are praying for them. It may be someone as close as your spouse or your children or your parents. It maybe someone as far away as Virginia or Alaska or Seattle or where ever, Just Tell Them You Care!!!!!!! Show them you care by “listening”. Please don’t get tired of doing good to one another. Why not start today?
Blessing to you,
Pastor Alan
Posted by pastoradh 