Tom Barnard

“Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word

as is good for edification according to the need of the moment,

so that it will give grace to those who hear.”

(Ephesians 4:29 NASB)

What’s the best gift you can give to someone else? How about a greeting card? Of course, Hallmark leads the world with beautiful cards. But once done, what do you do next? How about a personal word of encouragement? Paul repeated his advice (above) to the Church at Thessalonica: “Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.” (1 Thess. 4:18)

For more than a half-century, Sam Stearman has done just that. He is lovingly known as “Brother Sam” to friends around the world. His “Sam’s Tours” are legendary. His first name—in caps—is an acrostic for “Senior Adult Ministries.” Books have been written about him and the movement that has adopted his name. Thousands have attended his “International Retreats for Golden-Agers,” held in past years in New Mexico.

But his friends remember him for more than his name and the retreats he sponsored. You can’t miss him when he approaches you. His smile is sincere, and his greeting is as warm as words can be. “God bless you,” is what you will hear him say. And then, once engaged in conversation, he will remember things about you that will encourage your life. He is unforgettable. He and his wife, “B.K.,” reside in Colorado, but more importantly they reside in the hearts of people everywhere.

Do you want to give someone a gift that “keeps on giving”? Start with the card, and then pick up your phone and call that “someone.” Tell them how much they mean to you. Tell them which of their many positive qualities you remember most. The season to be thankful is upon us. Let’s begin now. If everyone told someone new each day how that person had impacted their own lives, the world would be a better place to live. Almost overnight.

Heavenly Father,

You have given your very best to every human being who has ever lived. It’s not money or homes or cars, or even each other. You have given us your Son, Jesus Christ, who came to show us the Father and to make a way for us to spend eternity with Him. When you wanted to send the very best, it wasn’t a greeting card. It was Jesus. How blessed we are! Now help us show our thanks by encouraging others—edifying “according to the need of the moment.” Remind us how important others are to us, and give us the opportunity to tell them so. Amen.