"Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord's people." Philemon 1:7
One of the things I love most about reaching the end of a race, especially a long or hard one, is hanging out afterwards and listening to the stories and recaps of other runners. And standing around the finish line of Saturday's Volkslauf Marine Corps Mud Run-with its massive hills, rocky terrain, river crossings and obstacles-was definitely no exception. While there were some great tales to be heard, the story of little 9-year-old Joseph, who joyfully smiled and inspired struggling runners all along the trail, was by far the best. The adults who were blessed to run alongside this young man excitedly reported that Joseph was never at a loss for a motivating word for anyone and frequently shouted, "You can do this!" to those around him. To say that their strength and hearts were refreshed by watching him would be an understatement. In the words of one of his teammates, "he was the light of Christ shining."
And you know, the Bible tells us that a person demonstrating this cheerful "love" for others most certainly brings "great joy and encouragement" to refresh the "hearts of the Lord's people". In fact, the apostle Paul gave heartfelt thanks to God for Philemon, a dear friend and fellow worker, who never seemed to be at a loss for a motivating word and whose love replenished him. It's just another reminder that our attitudes and the things we say can mean the difference between someone giving up or someone pressing on.
With that in mind, would you say you are a refreshing influence on others? Are you like a cold glass of water on a long run? You see, just as that invigorating drink can instantly revive a tired body, a cheerful word and disposition can instantly restore and energize a weary spirit. So will you, like Joseph, be that encourager to someone today? They will most certainly be thankful for it.
Heavenly Father, thank you for sweet souls such as Joseph that remind us of why we are called to be like children. Help us to have such a genuine love and concern for those around us that we would put aside any complaints or problems we might have so our attitudes will be uplifting and encourage our brothers and sisters to continue running the race and pressing on. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen.
Happy Running!!!
Toby Mac - Speak life
* Joseph, who nicknamed himself Motivating Joseph (MJ for short), is currently training with his Mother for the RNR St. Louis Half Marathon. This was his longest and hardest run to date and, will no doubt, help prepare him for the 13.1 mile race. Joseph enjoys competition but says motivating others is more rewarding. May we all follow his example of Christ-like behavior.
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| This little guy went through and over every obstacle encouraging others to just have fun and do the same. |
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