From the Pastor’s heart

I was listening to the radio as I normally do while driving and received a word of inspiration and encouragement.

A lot of people expect someone to say thank you or a great job or maybe reward them with a gift of appreciation when going a little further than the job requires. There’s nothing wrong with that. I appreciate it as well.

However, I wonder if I recognize people enough.

One Friday I stopped by Chick-fil-A to get a soft drink. Because I like to interact with people, I hardly ever go through the drive-through, so I walked up to the Cashier and ordered my drink. I noticed four pins on the cashier’s collar. I asked her what those pins meant.

She replied with a smile; “They were for doing a good job and she had just gotten the fourth pin just a day or two ago”.

I said, “Wow, that’s awesome. Congratulations for doing such a great job.”

Congrats to the managers and supervisors who have recognized her for doing a great job as well. It means a lot when you are recognized for going above the requirements.

One of the things I like to do when I’m in someone’s business and I identify great service, I try to reach out to that manager, owner, or supervisor and say: Your team member did a great job today! Thank you for allowing them to be here and serve me today.

Encouragement is needed in all aspects of our life whether it be for our spouse, family members and friends. We need to be encouraged.

But I want to make sure you understand that as a Christian, we may not get that recognition. We are going to be chastised and persecuted for doing good and for sharing the truth. Jesus said, in John 15:18 “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.”

So sometimes you’re going to be fussed at, yelled at, maybe even physically attacked by the evil forces that are in this world. Especially when you are doing good for the Lord. We are not always going to receive appreciation. We are probably going to receive negative comments and be subject to gnashing of teeth so to speak.

I don’t want you to think that you’re in bad company when this happens to you.

I always go back to Job: how he was put down by his friends and his wife, he was afflicted with sores and lost his fortune and family. It wasn’t anything he did wrong. He was righteous in the eyes of the Lord.

I also think of Steven, who was stoned to death for bringing truth. Even while sharing Old Testament scriptures with those that are who are stoning him, he was persecuted, beaten unto his death, he looked up and saw Jesus standing at the right-hand of Father.

Brothers and Sisters, I just want to encourage you when you are out and about sharing your faith exercising your “religious” freedoms in this country. Expect the unexpected. But know that the Jesus is watching us. Do not fear, have courage in the Lord.

I pray this day finds you well and that you will go out and encourage someone when you see them doing well. When you see them doing their job right. When you see that they are doing the work of the Lord go and encourage them.

Pastor Chad