REFRESHING OTHERS

By: Rev. Arnel Tan

“…….And what a comfort they have been!”
Col.4:11c NLT

When your cup is empty and dry you needed a refill that refreshes the inner man. In meeting his spiritual dryness Paul mentioned so many names that refreshed him in many ways. It is so humbling to admit that at one name you and I will be in a position of receiving supply than just giving it. If it is better to give than to receive, this time it is humbling to receive than to give. Let us remember that we will not be always in the position of dispensing grace, honestly we have never left the position of receiving it.

The call to refresh others is twinned by the humility to be refreshed by others. It is here that we experience a unique kind of delight that comes from the touch, prayer and care of God sent messengers of grace that refreshes our tired soul. Prayerfully let us be sensitive to seek weary and perhaps wounded people that somehow need to be refreshed. Unselfishly let us extend whatever God gave us that others might need. It is not always in the form of material goods sometimes it can be time- to listen not lecture, to pray not criticize.

If you have friends who have refreshed you thank God for them at the same time ask God for a chance to refresh others. Allowing others to refresh you is not weakness but a sign of authenticity that we are not superhumans. It is here that God’s grace is so at work that the communities of believers become a testimony to the outside world. It is here that we are humbled and desperate to see that we cannot make this journey without others.

Let us make it a lifestyle to refresh others not only to those we know, discerningly and prayerfully even to those we don’t know. Refreshing others is not a pay back that we are all required to do rather it is an outflow of gratitude for the grace we undeservingly received from God and from others. It puts a smile on God’s face I think, as it has always put a smile on any parents face when they see their children living in harmony refreshing each other. While prayer is important so is prompt obedience for you can never tell how urgent it is to be a “Barnabas” to a discouraged soul. Finally refreshing others can be messy for sometimes the messenger of refreshment taste himself a bitter spill over of other people’s bitterness. Refresh and be refreshed, we will be in both side one of these days.