Love and Support by Dave Branon

I received this note from a friend serving in an orphanage in a developing country: “Yesterday, as I was sitting at my office desk, I noticed a trail of ants on the floor. As I followed it, I was shocked to see that thousands of ants had blanketed the walls of our office building—inside and out. They swarmed everything. Fortunately, one of the workers . . . set to work. Less than an hour later, the ants were gone.” After telling this insect story, my friend wrote, “So, how was your day at work?” Sometimes we need reminders of the needs of those who have left behind the comforts and conveniences of home. God calls each of us to different paths of service, and some paths are bumpy. Working in an office that is overrun by ants doesn’t appeal to anyone, but my friend is not there for the perks. She and many other believers have had their hearts captured by Christ and think that abandoning “essential” comforts and conveniences is a small thing to do to honor Him who loves us. They need our support in the way Paul depended on his friends in Philippi—for fellowship (Phil. 1:5), for finances (4:16), and for care (4:18). When we encourage our friends who have left their familiar environments to serve God elsewhere, we show our love for the One who sent them. Dear Lord, give me wisdom to know which of Your workers in the fields of the world need my help. Show me how my family can surround them with encouragement and support. The glory of life is to love, not to be loved; to give, not to get; to serve, not to be served.