Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Good morning, dear people.

There is some beautiful sunlight coming through the cedars, highlighting the fast dirty creek. Becki and I have returned from our little walk/jog. It was kind of interrupted about midway. Heading up the hill through the woods on Short Fellows Road, I heard a cat meowing. I went closer to the sound. Out bounded a cute little calico kitten, maybe 3 months old. She ran right to me, like “I’m so glad you came to save me…please help me!” Oh, my. It’s kind of like having someone drop off a baby on your front porch, then ring the doorbell. Of course, we took her home. Not sure where this will go. We may not be great human encouragers today…but it seems we’re already feline encouragers.

Now…the treadmill needs some encouragement too.

Love, Dad/Ray

There’s nothing more encouraging than to be encouraged. And to be discouraged is very discouraging. Duh! The fact is that everyone needs a lot of encouragement just to make it through life with any measure of balance and success. The same is true of the Christian life. But there is a huge amount of contrary and discouraging influence out there in both arenas.

Paul was an encourager. But he was a very biased one. He was absolutely convinced that there was no such thing as substantial encouragement outside of Christ. So in his passion and quest to be that kind of encourager, he was often judged as a troublemaker and author of discouragement by those who didn’t want his encouragement. That’s what happened at Ephesus when Demetrius the silversmith was discouraged in his trade of making and selling idols surrounding the success of Paul’s encouragement. Demetrius was so bent on discouraging Paul that he was successful in stirring up a very discouraging riot that nearly had Paul killed. But it wasn’t enough to discourage Paul. In today’s passage we read, “When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciples and, after ENCOURAGING them, said good–by and set out for Macedonia. He traveled through that area, speaking many words of ENCOURAGEMENT to the people” (Acts 20:12).

Listen to Paul’s words in Colossians 2:1-3: “I want you to know how much I am struggling for you and those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally. My purpose is that they may be ENCOURAGED in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”

I want to be that kind of encourager. I think God wants you to be too.

May you be encouraged as an encourager as you take note of one more word of encouragement from Paul: “May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal ENCOURAGEMENT and good hope, ENCOURAGE your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word” (2 Thess. 2:16-17).