(August 30, 2023) Robert and Maureen McQuillan share…

‘One never knows who thinks what about us’ was a longish title… then we felt to add spinach-loving Popeye’s famous exclamation, ‘Blow me down!’  

This article is really about that initial title, but some events came about that had us add the exclamation.

First ‘Blow me down’
We’ve always had confidence in our daughter Wendy’s ability to achieve in life, and to encourage others, whether friends or business  associates. She has a good heart, common sense, cares for others and has the right attitude.

Naturally we encouraged Wendy to trust the Lord to help her in all this. And she has achieved much, and been an encouragement to others. But… she never talks about her accomplishments, no bragging.

It was a ‘Blow me down’ surprise the other morning to find the notation she, being blessed, had posted on Facebook: A great comment by a colleague appreciating and applauding the presentation Wendy had made to the national company she works for, declaring her to be ‘A True Knowledge Ambassador.’

More ‘Blow me downs’
Then I (Robert) was flabbergasted when I opened my emails!

An overseas friend had generously acknowledged my literati skills. Like Wendy, I’ve never talked about my achievements and I was thrown. I won’t list everything he wrote, but here’s one line re an article I’d ghosted… ‘You make an ukulele sound likes Stradivarius.’

And recently ‘Sarah’ spoke highly of Maureen’s skills and achievements in the décor area. Sarah had been hit with decorating challenges in her new home, a field she wasn’t into, but recalled Maureen sharing how she’d inexpensively and creatively dealt with such. Encouraged, Sarah’s attitude was ‘If Maureen could do it, so can I.’ And she did!

Yes, even as we’ve achieved, we’ve always encouraged others to believe in themselves, that they too can be achievers at different levels, in different things.

Oops!
Personal achievements? Some reader will probably claim we’re boasting! Once we mentioned in an article that we had encouraged someone to believe they could achieve a certain godly attainment and they did!

That article’s heart was to encourage readers to –

• ‘Love thy neighbour’ whatever way they could.
• Know they could call on the Holy Spirit’s assistance.

But one ‘upset reader’ commented that we were boasting and wrongly misquoted Matthew 6:1,5! (a very different ‘Blow me down!’)

Encouragement!
The major theme of this article is encouragement! That if you really trust God you can hand everything into His care! He knows what He can help you achieve kingdom-wise and in general! And who knows what people will warmly think of you.

God is the great encourager, believing that encouragers should encourage others! Take Deuteronomy 1:38 for example: God encouraged Moses to encourage his assistant Joshua. Deuteronomy 3:28 is a follow-up: ‘… commission Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, for he will lead this people across and will cause them to inherit the land…’

‘Encourage’ is châzaq (used 290 times KJV)… basically meaning to be strong, fasten one’s attention on, to courageously conquer. Interestingly ‘strengthen’ is ‘âmats … to be alert and courageous.

For me (Robert) 1 Samuel 30:6b has always been a favourite – ‘…  David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.’ Several other versions read ‘strengthened’ – GNB reads, ‘… God gave him courage.’

Trusting God 
It all comes down to trusting God in whatever we set out to achieve!

One of Maureen’s favourite scriptures is Proverbs 3:5NLT – ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. ’

When we accept Jesus as Saviour, God’s Holy Spirit comes to live inside us. The reality is that we have nothing to fear… neither death, ill health, witnessing, sharing, unruly demands, financial shortage, nasty bosses, thoughtless children or neighbours, or life itself.

And, speaking of life, accomplishing goals, and achieving whatever we set out to do. Trusting God in everything means everything!

Not just somethings, merely a few things and not just ‘things’ that give the illusion of security or achievement, security, power!

A predictable God!
Although life is unpredictable our God is the opposite! We can count on Him to be reliable in that He will care for us, help us, bring us through dark times. In His way of course! We just have to trust Him.

David was a  great achiever since childhood, knowing and trusting his God. Here’s a ‘Blow me down’ sample of how much – ‘The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; The God of my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge; My Saviour…’ (2 Samuel 23:3-4NKJV).

Trust here is châsâh, figuratively indicating to confide in; have hope, make refuge, put trust in. David certainly did, boldly facing lions and bears as well as Goliath (1 Samuel 17:34, 37).

The New Testament uses various Greek words in relation to trusting, all with similar emphasis. Here’s one example… Paul gave young Timothy this good advice – ‘… we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all…’  (1 Timothy 4:10NKJV). Trust here is the Greek elpizō… expect or confide, hope (for).

Trust means action! So does encouraging! We should be encouraging others to be achievers in life… and that they encourage others in turn.

You may never know…
Often people are encouraged and blessed  by how they see us handle situations and challenges. Many times we will not be aware of how they see us; we may never know how we encourage people.

Reminds us of Bible college days when I (Robert) insisted we sit up front beside a chap that others didn’t quite take to. He would suddenly twitch his head and move around in a strange manner. But we ignored this and would chat with him at break times.

It was toward the end of the year when out-of-the-blue he said, ‘I appreciate you guys.’ On asking why, he looked me in the eye and said, ‘You’re always there.’ Wow… another ‘Blow me down.’

May we all practise 1 Thessalonians 5:11, ‘Therefore encourage one another and build each other up.’ Encourage here is parakaleō, that Greek word that links with the Holy Spirit… to call near, to comfort. Paul was able to finish his advice with ‘…  just as in fact you are doing.’ 

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Dr Robert and Pr Maureen McQuillan’s links: OnlinerConnect@gmail.com and Facebook  
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