Wholehearted Encouragers

 

Their 'resume's' read,

"...they followed the LORD wholeheartedly..." (Numbers 32:12 NIV)

This was the keynote address, by God Himself, in regards to Caleb, son of Jephunneh and Joshua, son of Nun.

They were the two out of twelve who had encouraged, rather than discouraged, the children of Israel to "go ahead" and gratefully take hold of the inheritance God had promised them.

The rest, the 10/12 spies who had also gone to spy out the Promised Land, discouraged by spreading fear, telling of the strong, fearsome giants in that place that they felt they could not overcome.  Yes, they reported, it was indeed a good land, except for, blah, blah, blah.  So they incited the people to rebel.

Caleb and Joshua, said, "Yes, we can!  We can because the LORD is with us."

They'd all seen many mighty works and wonders of God already in their travels from Egypt.  Did the discouragers not believe and 'get it' that God was still their God and would continue His wonders on their behalf?

The difference between the 2/12 and the 10/12 explorers was that the 2/12 "followed the LORD wholeheartedly" [emphasis, mine].  That was their secret to being able to encourage.

We see this trait in Barnabas in the New Testament who came along side former, fierce persecut-or Saul who'd become the new believer in Jesus, Paul, the eventually persecut-ed.  The believers were afraid of him. Fear again.  Barnabas, the son of encouragement, did his thing - he encouraged.  He encouraged Paul by coming alongside of him and bringing him to the apostles in Jerusalem and vouching for him.

Paul must have learned how to encourage too, as many of his epistles have words of encouragement.  Although we don't see many references to Barnabas, he'd 'passed it on' to Paul and we know from inference, that Paul clung wholeheartedly to the Lord and followed Him to the ends of the earth preaching, teaching, and encouraging those who'd come to Christ.

I really like the commendation he gave for sister Phoebe.  She was "a servant of the church..." he penned.  Look what else he wrote about her,

"...receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints and give her any help she may need from you, for she has been a great help to many people, including me" (Romans 16:1-2 NIV).

Imagine, Phoebe going to all the Roman assemblies and delivering this letter to all of them, from Paul.  She'd be sitting quietly listening as someone read the whole epistle aloud and then in the last page hear her name read out and that the Roman believers were asked to help her in her ministry.  That would be very encouraging.  She too, seems to have been one who "wholeheartedly followed the LORD."

No doubt we can each name one or two people of this caliber who may even have been used to encourage us.  May each of us be characterized with this 'label':  "wholehearted encourager," because we totally, wholeheartedly follow the Lord.  Pass on words of encouragement so that, in turn, those encouraged, can pass some on to others, and so on...

Maybe "wholehearted encourager" would even be your epitaph.

                                                         ~ERC  August 2021~

Based on Numbers 24-33, especially 32:7-12 NIV.

Meme Credit to friend Michael.