lifting them up

Today in the One Year Bible, we read from 2 Chronicles 35:1-36:23. Josiah is doing some serious good. One thing that is easy to gloss over is this phrase: "Josiah... encouraged them in their work." That's something that pretty much ALL of us can do, right? And by encouragement, I don't JUST mean telling them they're doing a good job. That's definitely part of it, and much needed and neglected today.

But much more than simply encouraging people with words, we should pray for them. People who are standing in the gap and making a difference. People who are feeding the hungry. Caring for the sick and dying. Teaching people how to live, both children and adults. Even those who cook our food, clean our homes, and drive us places we want to go. Pray for them, and pat them on the back.

And there's more. You financially support those who need your help. Some of you reading this right now NEED that help. Please reach out for the resources that are available. Some of you are in a good place right now, because this pandemic has definitely hurt some of us and helped others. If you're in a place where you can help, ask God where you should give. He doesn't need your money and neither do I. But there are poor people all around you who are even poorer now that many of them have lost their jobs. Reach out and help.

God, thanks for teaching us to help each other up.