Be a Refresher

A refresher? What is a refresher?

Webster’s 1828 says this about a Refresher “He or that which refreshes, revives or invigorates.”

I believe refreshing is a step above encouraging or exhorting.

Webster’s 1828 says this about Exhorting “to encourage, to embolden, to cheer, to advise. To incite by words or advice; to animate or urge by arguments to a good deed or to any laudable conduct or course of action.”

I love the part of the definition of refresher that says, “revives or invigorates.” I have been around heaps of Christians over the years and most I say do a pretty good job at exhorting. We all try to really encourage one another as we know it is so vital to us persevering in these final days. But, I have only been around a handful of people that are refreshers. Some people just invigorate others so easily. They walk into a room and just their existence is like a ray of sunlight.

This post is to encourage us all to take our exhortation to a new level this year and not only be encouragers but to be refreshers. So, how do we become refreshers? What better place to learn how to be a refresher than from God’s Word.

I have found a few Refreshers in the Bible to study.

1. The Corinthians and Titus

   1. If you can, read all of II Cor. 7
   2. Titus was refreshed by the Corinthians in II Cor. 7:13 “Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all.”
   3. Since Titus was refreshed (or invigorated), he refreshed Paul and Timothy in II Cor. 7:6-7 “Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus; 7 And not by his coming only, but by the consolation wherewith he was comforted in you…”
   4. Paul, in exchange, boasted back to the Corinthians about themselves. II Cor. 7:14 “For if I have boasted any thing to him of you, I am not ashamed; but as we spake all things to you in truth, even so our boasting, which I made before Titus, is found a truth.”
   5. In summary, this little circle of Refreshers went like this: The Corinthians refreshed Titus, who refreshed Paul and Timothy, who refreshed the Corinthians again and Titus himself. Wow! What a wonderful time these saints had not just encouraging one another but refreshing and invigorating one another!

2. Onesiphorus

   1. If you can, read all of II Timothy 1.
   2. This is Onesiphorus. Do not confuse him with Onesimus in Philemon. These 2 men are 2 totally different men.
   3. Onesiphorus exhibited 3 qualities of a refresher:
      1. Onesiphorus was not ashamed to be seen with a prisoner because he wasn’t ashamed of Paul’s prison chains. II Tim. 1:16 “The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain:” Some Christians are ashamed to go to the ‘bad’ side of town and they only want ‘certain’ kinds of people in their church. We need to be refreshers to all people.
      2. Onesiphorus made the effort to seek out Paul wherever he was. II Tim. 1:17 “But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me.” Christians need to make an effort to refresh others. We are all so ‘busy’ that it is easy for days, weeks, or months to go by and we have not sought out anyone to refresh like Onesiphorus sought out Paul.
      3. Onesiphorus ministered unto Paul in many ways and multiple times. II Tim. 1:18 “…how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus…” It takes work to minister unto others. We have to make the time and put the effort into refreshing others. We can walk by someone and say a quick encouraging phrase (which is needed) but to refresh someone takes more work and effort.

Here is an example of encouraging and refreshing:

A lady was deathly ill. Many people sent cards, others came by for a visit, and a couple brought gifts, one person drove a long way and brought a special home-made gift to the sick lady. All things helped encourage and refresh the lady greatly.

Sometimes, all we can do is something simple to be an encouragement to someone else. Do not stop doing those simple things! If all you can do is send a card to someone – then do it. But throughout the year, look for avenues to be a refresher. Sometimes, we need to go out of our way, make the effort, and do something that really ‘refreshes’ and invigorates someone.

Hint: We also need to take refreshing from others. It has been such a hurt to some over the years when they have tried to do something nice for others and the receiver of the refreshing has said something like, “Oh you didn’t need to do that. That is way too much. You should have never done that.” Etc. etc.

When someone tries to refresh you, just say, “Thanks” and tell them how much you appreciate what they have done. In turn, you will refresh them. Never – ever tell the person they didn’t have to do anything for you. God laid it upon someone’s heart to do something nice for you. Just say, “Thanks.”

Paul never told Onesiphorus, “You didn’t have to come so far. You didn’t have to do so much. I would have been fine. I wish you hadn’t done that.” Paul gladly received Onesiphorus’s refreshment.

How can we be an Onesiphorus in this New Year?

1. Do not be embarrassed by people below your ‘social status’
2. Seek out someone to refresh
3. Put a few hours of work into refreshing someone this year. Look for avenues to refresh someone: visit with a shut-in, take someone to an appointment, go to lunch with a lady, help someone around their house who is recovering from surgery, take a meal to a senior couple, watch someone’s children so they can get a break, etc. etc.

In summary: be a refresher this year.

II Cor. 7:13 “Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all.”