Whatever It Takes!

We live in a world that harasses and 'beats up.'  Is it any wonder the Apostle Paul admonishes:  "therefore encourage one another, and build each other up…”  (1 Thessalonians 5: 11).  

But how does that happen; specifically how do we encourage and build each other up?  In my experience encouragement happens, building up happens, through first mile and second mile initiatives.  

Now, first mile initiatives are well known:  encouraging notes and phone calls -- a gift of flowers or chocolates – a warm, heart-felt pat on the back.  

But second mile initiatives are uncommon and rare; in fact they're down right radical and risky.   It’s when someone pays the bill when you should pay the bill -- it’s when someone cleans up the mess, when you should clean up the mess -- it’s when someone solves the problem, when you should solve the problem – swooping in -- rescuing; saying:  ‘whatever it takes’ -- ‘whatever it takes.’

 Recently a ‘whatever it takes’ guy came into my life and the life of the congregation I serve.  His name:  Fred Wisner.  Why ‘out of no where’ a few months ago, Fred showed up and simply volunteered to lift any load, any time:  ‘whatever it takes, Pastor Paul.’; ‘whatever it takes.’  

Well Fred began helping around our congregation, and helped a lot!  But I wondered: might he also be able to help me at home, as well?  And so I asked Fred whether he'd help me with one of my biggest, toughest problems: my groundhog problem.  I mean Billy the Groundhog, and his army of family and friends have occupied my back yard for eons, tearing up the place.  But Fred Wisner said:  'whatever it takes Pastor Paul'; 'whatever it takes to capture old Billy and his family and friends – I’ll do it Pastor Paul.'   And I’m here to testify, Fred Wisner, was true to his word:  he captured  Billy and his family and friends, he saved my yard and lifted my load!  

If we’re serious about encouraging each other, we need to lift each others loads as well; we need to engage not only in first mile initiatives, but second mile initiatives, encouraging each other in rare, radical ways -- declaring: 'whatever it takes!'  

When you think about it:  that's what God does in Christ.  In Jesus, God does 'whatever it takes' -- even broken flesh and shed blood -- to encourage us, to save us -- when we're in a mess -- while we we're yet sinners (Romans 5:8).   

Well then, we're to do likewise: encouraging others, because we've been encouraged, in Christ.  Reaching out, lifting loads, building up.  Boldly countering a world, that so often, tears down!