Silver Boxes ~ Gifts of Encouragement

          Oh, how essential encouragement is in these troubled times! Maybe more than ever before. Hearts downcast, economy tanking, and the enemy—the devil—knowing when to strike when we’re at our weakest.

          In my growing up years I struggled with a lot of criticism. By the time I was in what was then called junior high (now middle school), I believed I wasn’t much of anything. I’d even adopted the moniker “retard,” which one classmate heckled me with every time I encountered her.

          Along the way, though, God placed people in my life who lifted me up. They were few, but they—to this day—mean the world to me, most of them now gone from this earth. This handful of folks gave me silver boxes.

          No, there’s not a literal pile of silver boxes in my possession, but their encouragement was nothing less.

         When Brian and I were recently married, he realized I hadn’t been encouraged greatly along the way. We then heard a radio broadcast titled “Silver Boxes” with Florence Littauer. Listening to this reduced me to a puddle of tears. It meant so much that we later bought the audiobook on cassette. And still later, the book—in real live paper form.

          My husband then wrote me a note: May I give you silver boxes for all the ones you’ve missed. That note, which I treasure to this day, was in and of itself a silver box.

          The gift of a silver box—life-lifting words given to another.

          Having thus been blessed now with silver boxes over the years, I find it my mission to gift encouraging words to others.

          Have you received silver boxes in your life? Are you able to share encouraging words to lift others? Or are you one who hungers to hear you’re valued and loved?

          Here’s something else I’ve thought about in more recent years? Do I give silver boxes unknowingly? Or do I secretly wish to withhold them from those who’ve crushed me, feeling they must “earn” them? Hmm.

          More about that in Part 2.

Living for Jesus, a life that is true, striving to please Him in all that I do;

Yielding allegiance, glad-hearted and free, this is the pathway of blessing for me.

 

(Refrain) O Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give myself to Thee,

For Thou in Thy atonement, didst give Thyself for me;

I own no other Master, my heart shall be Thy throne;

My live I give henceforth to live, O Christ, for Thee alone.

 

Living for Jesus Who died in my place, bearing on Calv’ry my sin and disgrace;

Such love constrains me to answer His call, follow His leading and give Him my all. (Refrain)

 

Living for Jesus, wherever I am, doing each duty in His holy Name;

Willing to suffer affliction and loss, deeming each trial a part of my cross. (Refrain)

 

Living for Jesus through earth’s little while, my dearest treasure, the light of His smile;

Seeking the lost ones He died to redeem, bringing the weary to find rest in Him. (Refrain)

 

(from the hymn Living for Jesus by Thomas O. Chisholm, 1917, public domain)

 

Lord God,

          If I live for You, I will give encouraging words to everyone I meet.

Please help me be a giver of silver boxes!

    In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

 

#silverboxes #encouragement #livingforJesus #notforreward #soldoutforGod

Photo credit: freepik & online image