Where Seldom Is Heard....

"It's nice to be popular," we said jokingly as we shifted from one poker table to another the other night.

A man at our new table specifically asked for "the player behind the dealer," even though someone else offered to go.  We were that "player behind" -- and that man may have seen us as an easy target.

"He'll be out of the game in a minute," the man told the Tournament Director after we sat down.  We simply smiled at that, prompting him to laugh a little.

"Thank you for those words of encouragement," we finally said quietly -- and admittedly a bit sarcastically.

You do hear such words from time to time at poker tables.  It's especially true when someone makes a huge hand, or newcomers take their first large pot.  But to be fair, some people are better with encouraging words than others.  That's true with believers in Christ as well....

We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.  If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith.... if it is encouraging, let him encourage.... - Romans 12:6, 8

We've faced our own personal trials away from the poker table over the last few years.  So we use this post in part to thank the fellow believers who have offered us encouraging words, when problems have arisen and things looked tough.  And if you don't have the gift of saying those words, set a living example instead:

See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.  But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. - Hebrews 3:12-13

Our title for this post comes from a line in the state song of our home state: "Home on the range.... where seldom is heard a discouraging word...."  May your words and life encourage others - especially to bring them nearer to God.