Christian Living
Larry Lilly's Letter
Dick Triestram and his wife Judy, are members of the church I pastor and I have known them for over thirty years, most of which time they were serving as a pastoral team. I count them dear friends. I recall one time when Dick was still serving as a pastor. At the meeting all the other clergy were asked to give their name etc. After I had introduced myself, Pastor Triestram spoke very highly of me and commended me to the other pastors present. Dick stated some of the mountains I had overcome, and did so with near a tear as he spoke. This was during a very low time in my life and to this day I cannot find the right words to tell how much his word of encouragement meant to me.
George M. Adams said:
"There are high spots in all our lives and most of them have come about through encouragement from someone else. I don't care how great, how famous or successful a man or woman may be, each hungers for applause."
In our society we limit "applause" to the clapping of hands, but it really means "approval publically expressed."
Dale Carnegie stated years ago that every person has the near equivalent of a neon sign across their breast, "appreciate me." Dale said the person who does appreciate the other had made a deep friendship. Most of us live lives to use Thoreau's phrase "of quiet desperation." When you take the time to publicly approve another person, you in fact lift a little of the cloud of desperation that envelopes them daily.
An interesting exercise is to spend an hour or so, on a regular basis mentally listing the names of people who have encouraged you in some way, it is even better to write this down and visualize the events, even the words associated with the encouragement. It is good medicine for the spirit.
My football coach, Mel Masonheimer encouraged me when as a 14 year old we had the end of season football banquet. This was big deal and a white shirt and tie was required, at least a sport coat suggested. I went to the banquet, with the rest of the team, and bankers, lawyers etc also attended. I did wear a white shirt which belonged to my step father who was 6:5. I was 5:10. Some tie from 1929 was discovered in the neighborhood. Underdressed is not the word. And I knew it. (Still do). When coach Masonheimer introduced each player, he looked me in the eye and introduced me as, "Dynamo" Larry Lilly. That was 54 years ago and I remember it as though it was 3 minutes ago. Some memories are precious.
In a coming day I pray that I shall hear my favorite coach say as in Matthew 25:21 "Well done thou good and faithful servant…"
How is that for public approval?
Larry Lilly Copyright © 2010 Use with credit