Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints. Philemon 7 NIV

There is a lady in my church who refreshes the saints. I could have picked many others to write about, but she was the first to come to mind. I don't always get to see her on Sundays, because we have several different services, but I usually look for her on Wednesday night. If I have had an exceptionally stressful week, I make sure our paths cross for a mid-week "pick me up". I have even taken friends to see her, just because she leaves people around her with such a warm, refreshed feeling.

Philemon was that kind of guy. Paul praises him for his work among the church. He must have been an encourager. Whenever Paul thought of Philemon, it gave him a warm feeling. Perhaps thinking of Philemon, and those like him who serve in love, helped keep Paul from losing his mind while locked up in a cold prison cell. Paul needed the encouragement of knowing there were still people who cared whether he lived or died.

We all need that type of encouragement. Regardless of how mature in our faith we become, we need someone around to help keep our spirits strong. We need someone who we can trust, someone who can bring a smile to our face, someone who has our best interests at heart. Yes, even though the Lord is our "friend who sticks closer than a brother", I firmly believe God surrounds us with Christian friends to help make this fallen world a bit more tolerable.

Do you have a friend like that? Better still, are you a friend like that? Can others count on you for a kind word, a smile, an encouraging compliment? Are you careful not to say something, unless it will edify; build up the body of Christ? Will you, like Philemon, be an encourager among the church?

May that be our prayer and goal today!

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