Be an encourager

 There’s an old and rather horrible story of a father who took his young son out and stood him on the wall in the garden. He then stood on the lawn below, and encouraged the boy to jump into his arms. "I'll catch you," the father said confidently. 

After a lot of coaxing, the little boy finally made the leap. When he did, the father stepped back and let the child fall to the ground. He then picked his son up, dusted him off, and dried his tears.

"Let that be a lesson," he said sternly. "Don't ever trust anyone.”

It’s an incredibly sad lesson I think, but one that many people actually believe today – trust is in short supply – for example, this week has again highlighted the attitude of many people towards politicians, an attitude that is far from trusting. Without doubt, as there are in all occupations, there are politicians who have been less than honest at times I’m sure, but most work hard, are dedicated to their role and deserve to be trusted… But trust is often in short supply! 

Trusting though is something that we all need to do – for God has created a world where, as well as being dependant on him, we are also dependant on other people so often. 

I’m not very good at car mechanics (that’s probably an understatement), so I trust the garage if something is wrong; I’m an extremely bad gardener and never grow anything to eat, so I rely on farmers (and supermarkets… and take-aways!) to make sure that I have things to eat.

In other ways we also depend on people to love and to be loved – there is a real need to have a purpose in life, and that purpose so often involves another person – relationships are a key part of our existence.

And in our gospel reading (John 15:12-17), we have the wonderful words of Jesus reminding us of the importance of love - love being perhaps the ultimate form of trust in many ways. 

And Jesus says, ‘love one another as I have loved you…’ What an incredible invitation - to follow Jesus who loved us to the cross, but who never let the cross be the end…. 

Today in the church calendar, we remember Barnabas, known now as the Patron Saint of encouragers… 

He knew all about the behaviour of Saul or Paul as we know him better now. He knew how he’d attacked the followers of Jesus, but he trusted that Paul’s conversion was genuine, partly because he believed Paul himself, but I think even more because he knew of the power of God to transform – to transform even the darkest of situations and lives into light.

Barnabas chose to trust Paul and he encouraged others to do the same. He gave Paul an introduction into a group that would support him and encourage him, and allow him to do God’s work more effectively.

I wonder what would have happened had there been no Barnabas though ? I can answer that a little bit by saying that I’m pretty sure God would have provided someone or some way of allowing Paul to work, but what if there hadn’t been…

Would Saul have given up on his new found faith, would he have become so discouraged that doubts would have set in, would he have perhaps thought that he had just been suffering some temporary insanity and returned to persecuting Christians, perhaps even more passionately than before…

Without an encourager – without someone prepared to give him a chance, Paul could have been lost to the Church…

I have often quoted to people the story of Nicky Cruz – a gang leader in New York in the late 1950’s, whose life was transformed following his conversion. Nicky gave up a life of violence, crime and hate, went to Bible School and has preached ever since on the new life God had given him… but there was another person in the story as well.

A man called Israel Narvaez was also converted along with Nicky Cruz, but after a terrible misunderstanding, largely over a meeting place where he was supposed to be picked up, he became discouraged with Christianity, went back to the gang, and was convicted for his part in a murder. 

This story fortunately has a better ending because when he was released from prison he eventually dedicated his life to Christ again, and has, ever since, been a Church Pastor…

But it shows the dangers of not encouraging people, of not giving them every chance to be the people that God wants them to be.

And today that role as encouragers falls to every one of us – that role that means that we can’t judge people by earthly standards, but by what God can do for them… that role that means we cannot afford to let others do the encouraging while we stand at a safe distance and watch…

Part of our discipleship as Christians is to be people like Barnabas – people who can help others to be the people God wants them to be…

Barnabas never became as famous as Paul, and encouragers often won’t… I really like sport and enjoy watching some great talented and famous players in different sports, but all of those can, if they’re honest, point back to someone who helped them in their youth to become great players – we will never know those people, only the product of their work…

The role of encouragers is incredibly important – but it’s a difficult role – it involves trusting, it even involves the risk of painful rejection, it involves dedication and it involves being non-judgemental…

It’s a tough role but it’s a role we’re all called to do – because it’s a role that points people to God – to a God who transforms, to a God who guarantees new life, to a God who loves the world and everyone it.

Returning to our gospel reading, we are reminded of trying to live with love at the heart of what we do and of the fact, the incredible fact, that God has chosen us to ‘go and bear fruit’ as the reading says… What a responsibility, but what a privilege - and we can join together to support one another in doing that… 

Whether we are called to stand in the background or in full public view for God doesn’t matter, because we are all called to one thing and that is to point people to him, so that his name may be glorified, his kingdom become larger, and the fellowship we enjoy with him and with others will become greater. AMEN