On a short-term mission in 2004, I
experience several fairly rough weeks. The trip culminates in a big community
outreach event: a rock concert, performed by a band of young guys from our
team. The play list includes songs with an evangelical message, wrapping up
with twenty minutes or so of pure worship, and a gospel presentation. The event
is successful for the usual reasons—people hear about Jesus, and believe what
they hear, thank God! It is also precisely what I need at this moment. The
music is balm. It changes me, much for the better.
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| Catherine Fruisen |
I have work to do after the show but in
the middle of the commotion I scramble to find the guys to thank them. I want
to assure them that, on top of everything else, God used them to patch me up.
My motive is the Golden Rule. I'm not seeing a whole lot of fruit from my
particular role in this mission; hearing a kind word from anyone would mean the
world to me, so I assume the same
would be true for them. My new mission in this moment is to encourage the
band. When I finally find them and get their attention, I give them my
words of love and appreciation. And they brush me off. Totally.
Change the location, people and
situation, repeat a thousand times, and here we are today, seven years
later. My mission to encourage fellow believers who have blessed me has
been poo-pooed so often, I've lost count. Having been on the receiving end of
many accolades and pats-on-the-back myself, I understand the dilemma. God
said, "I will not give
my glory to another." I
know that it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good
purpose. We're all worthless sinners; even
our best works are no better than filthy rags.
On the other hand, consider this: rather than having devoted the last two
months of your life to organizing the event for which I am commending you, you
could have chosen to ignore God's call. You could have spent that time sitting
on the couch in your den eating pretzels, watching CSI. So you see, you did
have a part to play! Good job, friend!
"Words of Affirmation" are a Love Language;
some of us really need those words. Obviously God knows this, which is why
encouragement is a gift of the Holy Spirit. We all have a God-given need to
give and receive encouragement: for some of us, giving encouragement is our
strongest gift. If Mama raised you right (which of course she did), you know
it's rude to refuse a gift. If we don't learn to receive, others are denied the
opportunity to give.
On behalf of my fellow Exhorters, I
would like to extend an invitation to believers everywhere: As a Church, let's
reconsider basic etiquette. Embrace a simple "Thank you." If
you really must add your standard, "It was all God, I had nothing to do
with it," by all means, go for it. Meanwhile, I've got my
carefully-thought-out reply ready to go: "You're welcome!"
Therefore
encourage one another and build each other up. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:11
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