My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. -- Co. 2:2-3
I get mail; therefore I am. -- Scott Adams
I love to go and get the mail. The child-like spirit inside of me jumps up and down, anticipates the mail-carrier like waiting for Santa. If it is 1 PM and I am at home, you know where you'll find me? Walking to the mailbox. I love to get mail. (And by mail, I mean real mail. Letters. Not bills or junk mail.) I love to send mail and packages to people. It lifts my spirit.
I miss the art form found in writing letters. Beautiful language. The intimacy that comes with it. That special feeling with knowing someone sat down and took the time to write out a card or compose a letter on your behalf. Today, when I realized what time it was and that I could go to the mailbox, I thought briefly about a letter I wrote six months ago. It was to someone I didn't know. May not even meet in this lifetime, but to someone who was blessing my life without even knowing me. I wanted to encourage her spirit. To speak to the things that I saw inside of her.
The purpose of this letter was to write, send and encourage -- not to receive. There have been times I have definitely wished to hear back from her, but have tried to take my "self" out of the equation. When I remembered that I sent it in November, I felt happy to think of how long it had been since I'd thought of finding a reply in the mailbox. Smiled to myself. What if it were to surprise me today? Then I let go of it.
Recently I have begun writing to some new friends I have made. Friend that are very special to my heart. These are letters that I know encourage greatly and bring a smile to the faces of the recipients. In turn, I don't think they realize how much the letters they write back bless and encourage me. These are friendships deepened by trust and encouraging words.
I sat down on the front porch this afternoon going through the mail, thinking. And as I came upstairs to look at some verses, I remained in this thoughtfulness. We all have a mailbox inside of us, don't we? Things that we send and things we receive. Stop for a moment and picture what yours might look like. Are there flowers planted around the edge? Is it protected by a small fence or encircled by rocks? What color is it? Is there a lot of room or is the mailbox more like a P.O. Box small, slender? Things get smashed in, not always a lot of room. How often is the flag up? Ready for the things to be sent out?
I try sometimes to review the words I have sent out to others with my voice. Less often than I should, I imagine that I am not just saying the words that I have put out, but that I am the one hearing them. That they are effecting me as I receive them.
Do these words hurt or do they help? Do they lift up or do they bring down? Are they encouraging or do they pierce? What am I sending out to others? And how am I opening and taking in the things that are delivered to me through them? Am I doing what is best for myself? Am I taking in what enriches and leaving behind what I know I cannot trust in or apply?
It is always my wish to encourage, though sometimes I fail. Humanity. Sometimes I hurt those that I care about the most. But still I wake up praying for the words that someone needs to hear that day. Still I try to always thank or compliment a waiter, a cashier, that fast food worker handing me my meal through the drive-through window. I ask to see inside, to see the hurt someone might be carrying, and even if only in a simple way -- seek to give to them a hug, with my words.
Letters. They're special. They're keepsakes. And at times they're give through spoken words, through actions. Think about your mailbox today -- the one outside of your house or the one inside of you. Any polishing that needs to be done? More sending out, more joy in receiving? May we all find purpose in encouraging the hearts of others. Take a moment today to strengthen that special connection you have to others. Receive the thoughtfulness of the letters being sent to you by God.
Photo By James Crable
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