YEARS AGO AN experiment was conducted to measure people’s capacity to endure pain…

How long could a bare-footed person stand in a bucket of ice water?  It was discovered that when there was someone else present offering encouragement and support, the person standing in the ice water could tolerate paiin twice as long as when no one else was present. (John C. Maxwell, Encouragement Changes Everything, 25)

THOUGHT: Could it also be the case that elders could serve twice as long, preachers could work twice as long, and members could be faithful twice as long, if they had someone holding their hands and encouraging them?  I believe that this is the case.  As you know, the book of Hebrews was written to those who were discouraged and in danger of falling away.  The inspired writer of this book often exhorted brethren to encourage one another (Hebrews 3:13; 10:24-25).  In the twelfth chapter, we read these words, “Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees” (v. 12).  (Wade Webster)

“But Moses’ hands became heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.”  Exodus 17:12

Mike Benson