When Weak Things Become Strong and Empower Others
These are two of my most favorite people in the entire world and I am so grateful to call them family. They are not so little anymore but strapping young men with bright futures and an even brighter love of God.
They are brothers of the best kind.
Not because life has been easy for them, because it hasn’t. Not because they are the same, because two brothers could not be more different.
But because through all the hard, and all the growing, and stumbling, and joys of life, they have never given up on each other nor the two younger brothers that have come after them.
They are friends that have remained in the midst of the hard.
The older one is leaving in a few months to serve a two-year mission in another language to invite others to come unto Christ. To help those in the middle of their own difficulties to know that there is hope and help and grace in Jesus.
He will teach of the Light that is offered to all people, regardless of race or circumstance or life history. He will help those who do not know of the gift of newness, to understand that Jesus can heal the broken and change any heart.
He and his companions will move about with joy and gladness showing that though there is evil in the world, there is peace in Christ. That though there be wars and rumors of wars, and commotions a plenty, the war has already been fought and won and the victory secured by He who came to do His Father’s will.
They will proclaim liberty to the captive and the assurance of a better world to come. They will be messengers of Good News and fresh beginnings. They will testify that the God of the Universe knows each of us by name and that we have never been strangers to Jesus.
It will be hard. But he is used to hard.
It will require a love of all people. But he has already learned to love not only those who are the same as him, but those who are vastly different.
He will strive every day to show his willingness to serve the one true God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent.
And I am sure, when he is finished, the Lord will not forget what Eric has done for Him and will refer to this stalwart young man as He did to Israel of old… He will call him Friend.
