People of Encouragement

Veteran's Day celebrations are occuring already to honor those who have served our country with valor and dedication. To shake these still strong hands, to hear of wounds, beatings in prison camps, to watch these valiant men who served in WW II or Korea, walking with canes and walkers, to see the gleam of pride in their eyes as they receive the gratitude of us who still benefit from their sacrifices, and to hear that the young men and women enlisting in our military have that same love of country and willingness to lay down their lives for us, cannot but give us inspiration, encouragement, even tears of joy and gratitude, and a renewed sense of patriotism.
St. Paul in writing to the Corinthians brings us to a deeper understanding of encouragement: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and God of all encouragement, who encourages us in our every affliction, so that we may be able to encourage those who are in any affliction with the encouragement with which we oursevles are encouraged by God. For as Christ's sufferings overflow to us through Christ, so does our encouragment also overflow to others." (2 Cor. 1: 3-5). We see the love of God in others, and in the case of the veterans, we see the "affliction", the suffering, and the total gift of self, that Jesus underwent, that in turn becomes a source of encouragment to us. As we honor these heroes this week, let us take stock of their on-going gift to us, and ourselves become people of encouragement. May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting encouragement and good hope through his grace, encourage your hearts and strengthen them in every good deed and word. " (2 Thes 2: 16-17).
Bro Rene