Jump Start # 1537

Proverbs 25:13 “Like cold snow in the time of harvest is a faithful messenger to those who send him, for he refreshes the soul of his masters.”

  It’s supposed to snow again today, where I live. It may snow some more at the first of the week. This is life in the north in the winter time. It snows. Most don’t like it much, but we manage. It’s the big snows that make most folks groan. Our verse mentions snow. Cold snow—that’s the only kind of snow that I know.

The thought of the passage is the loyalty and faithfulness of the messenger is refreshing to his master. He has done what he was sent to do. He didn’t forget to deliver the message. He didn’t spend the day at the market place. He wasn’t sleeping under a tree. He delivered the message and that pleased his master.

There are two thoughts from this that I want to explore with you.

First, is the expression, “refreshes the soul of his master.” That simply means, he pleased his master. The expression, “refreshed” is found a few times in the N.T. Paul told the Corinthians that the coming of Titus comforted his soul. Paul said that the slave, Oneisphorus, “refreshed me.” He also stated that Stephanas and Fortunatus have refreshed my spirit.

The idea of refreshing brings thoughts of cold water, clean smells, sunshine, joy and happiness. Refreshing is an expression of encouragement and hope. The spirit that has been refreshed is recharged. It’s ready to get up and go again. Maybe it was tired. Maybe it was worn out. Maybe it was discouraged. Shuffling along, head hung down, going through the motions of life, but then someone intersects with us. They are excited, up beat, hopeful, and faithful. They get us seeing the spiritual again. They help us continue on. What a delightful thought.

I think, especially by Friday, our batteries are about run down. What a long week. It’s more than being tired on the outside, it’s being worn out on the inside. Life can do that to us. Problems, issues, demands, things not going right, people not going right—it can keep us up at night. We can feel stretched and strained.

Many of us do not recognize that we need some refreshing. We need that cold snow at harvest.

Here are a few ways to get “refreshed.”

Worship can do that. Singing those hymns, seeing those faces, listening to God’s word being passionately preached—has a way of lifting us up. We ought to leave worship in a better shape than when we came in. Worship can be like an oasis to us. It’s an island get-a-way in the midst of this crazy world. You might drag in to worship, but leave refreshed. Allow the atmosphere, the words, the smiles, the Lord to fill your heart. Cold snow at harvest—that’s what worship can be. I love Sundays. It’s the best day of the week. I wish everyday was Sunday. Do you feel that way?

Daily routines can find splashes of refreshment for our souls. Turn off the political jargon that fills the airwaves. This poll, and that poll—can drive a person nuts. I have a CD of three songs that I play every morning. It’s the same three songs. They are hymns. The hymns are about thanking the Lord. That’s what I need to help start the day. It’s a reminder to me. Today is a blessing. Today is a gift. Refreshment. Cold snow at harvest. Reading a few passages can do that. Reminders. Sunshine. Truth. Hope. The Lord.

Connecting with others will do this will do this. A phone call, lunch with someone, a short email—just a reminder, just a thought, that I appreciate what you are doing. Goodness shared. Joys reminded. Precious memories recalled. This is the power of fellowship. It has a way of refreshing our spirits. Use your drive home as a way to just make that brief connection. Come home to your family refreshed, not grumpy and beat up. Come to your home ready to refresh their souls.

Some of us are in need of refreshing. Others are the cold snow who are helping others. Complaining, gossiping, negativism, gloom and doom, is not what we need. All we have to do is turn on the TV for that. Anyone can do that. But to rise up through this and be a refresher, now that’s something. Every church needs a refresher. They need those whose sole job is bringing back a smile to a tired face. They make us feel better. They lift us, remind us, and help us. They do that by being the sunshine on dark days. They could complain like the rest of us, but they choose not to. They could see problems everywhere, like most people, but they choose not to. They could sing, “Woe is me,” like most of us, but they choose not to. They are refreshers because that’s the choices that they have made. They help us to see that we can choose to be miserable or happy. We can count our blessings or name our problems. Refreshers. They are a special group of people. I hope God has a special place for them in Heaven. They sure help the rest of us.

The second thought that our verse brings out is the faithfulness of the messenger. He did what he was supposed to do. That pleased his master. That was refreshing. That was like cold snow at harvest. Isn’t that a wonderful example for us? We ought to be doing what we are supposed to do. God has assigned us all special and unique things to do. Moms need to mom. Dads need to dad. Leaders need to lead. Deacons need to dec. Preachers need to preach. Friends need to be friendly. God expects us to live a certain way. We need to do that. God expects us to be faithful to His word. We need to do that. It is important that we do what God wants us to do.

The messenger pleased his master and today the Christian needs to please His God. He does that, by being loyal, dependable and faithful to the tasks God has before us.

Cold snow…what a great reminder as we head out the house today. Sprinkle some sunshine about you as you interact with others. Be the refreshing soul in the meetings today. Be the cold snow at harvest when you return home today. There are many tired souls that are beat up by the world. Do what you can.

Cold snow…

Roger