My mother recently told me this story. It sounded similar to conversations I have had with people in my life and in my church throughout the years.
My father and mother were Pastors for many years. They saw their fair share of changes in the church. At one particular point, my father decided to take down the “attendance board.” Some of you may remember the “attendance board.” It hung prominently on the wall, at the front of the church, just to the side of the platform. It displayed the attendance and offering from last week as compared to last year. There came a time when the “attendance board” was “uncool,” for whatever reason. For some it was a décor issue. For others it was discouraging if the church was in decline. For others it was a distraction.
My father was conducting a Sunday School teachers meeting in the church sanctuary. One of the teachers who was a longtime member of the church and retired minister, asked my father, why the attendance board had been taken down? Dad replied, “Many churches are taking them down today because if the numbers aren’t good, it can be discouraging. But also, it just seems to be the current trend in churches these days.” The inquiring teacher pressed on and responded by saying, “Well does that mean we’re going to go along with all the trends and fads of the day?”
That’s when my mother jumped in to support her man. My mother looked at that gentleman and said, “Yes we are. That’s why you are wearing a wide necktie instead of a slim necktie.”
Bam! You go Mom!
The word of the day is support. We need to stand up and support the ones that we love. The people who God has placed in your life, deserve and need your support.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 (ESV) says, “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”
Encourage and support the people you love the most. It will make your life and theirs better.