Do you sometimes feel very unimportant? Does it seem like others are being noticed for all they do, while you live your life in obscurity?
“I’m just a stay at home mom.”
“I’m just a retired factory worker.”
“I’m only a truck driver.”
“I’m only a____________________ .” (fill in the blank)
Could it be you’re missing something? Perhaps there’s more to life than you’ve imagined.
For instance, have you ever given someone a call, or sent them a text, just to let them know you were thinking of them? That they are loved and extremely valuable to you?
Did you know that God uses people, people such as you and I, to raise others from the dead?
Really? Absolutely!
And only God knows how powerful your words of encouragement can be to someone else.
The great Apostle Paul, minister extraordinaire and writer of half the New Testament, had times when he was discouraged. God didn’t always send an angel in the middle of the night to raise his spirits; many times He used “just” an ordinary person.
Someone like you and I.
“But God, who encourages those who are discouraged, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus.” (2 Corinthians 7:6 NLT)
Titus was an elder on the island of Crete. At least he was when Paul wrote him the letter we know as Titus. But before that, Titus was just a guy who accompanied Paul and Barnabas as they went from city to city planting churches.
More or less, Titus was “just a roadie”.
Some would look at him as unimportant since he wasn’t preaching, teaching, or leading worship.
In other words, he was a behind the scenes dude who was known only as one of Paul’s companions.
Kind of like, “she’s so and so’s wife…”
But to Paul he was known as “my encourager.”
Many people have experienced times of deep discouragement where living seems futile. What’s the purpose of continuing, they ask themselves. Hopelessness envelops them like a cocoon, and eventually suffocates the very life out of them.
Even if they keep on existing, the life is gone.
“But God…” has an answer for discouragement. He sends encouragement to the downtrodden.
How? With the help of people like you and I.
Encouragers. God uses encouragers to help raise people from the dead.
Remember Lazarus? The guy Jesus loved, but waited until he was dead before He came on the scene? Well, Jesus was credited with raising Lazarus from the dead, but who helped with the process?
Those to whom He said, “Remove Lazarus’s graveclothes.”
Encouragers.
God uses ordinary people who have no title, to assist Him with one of the greatest acts known to man.
Raising people from the dead.
So, whether you’re a big name preacher, CEO of a large corporation, or “just a stay at home mom”, you can be part of the greatest ministry on earth.
Encouragement – helping God raise people from the dead.
Go ahead, give it a try. And remember what Solomon wrote many years ago…
“…those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.” (Proverbs 11:25 NLT)
Jan Grace 