ENCOURAGING ONE ANOTHER
TO HELP SAVE OUR
YOUTH
By Rev. Amos L.
Bailey, Pastor
Christian Hill Baptist Church
54 Bowdoin Street, Springfield, MA 01109-3847
SLOWLY they walk, one by one, and some two by two, through
the moist dew grass with measured heavy steps. The minister's words still
echoing in their minds, they now hear the workmen moving toward the terrible
place, preparing to cover the casket of their loved one. Death, the enemy, has
torn the bonded relationships of family and friends, leaving only memories and
tears and loneliness.
BUT like a
golden arrow from the sun piercing the mid-day sky, a singular truth shatters
the oppressive gloom: Death is not the end! Christ is the victor over death,
and there is hope of the resurrection through HIM.
EVERY member of
the human family must face difficult times and circumstances and needs to know
that there is an answer to it all. There is salvation in the name of JESUS
CHRIST. I wish to encourage and comfort the community of Springfield and I ask
for each one to reach out to another to do the same. We should TELL somebody something
positive: "You're gonna make it."
IN days of not
too long ago, people used to visit their neighbors next door; relatives talked
to each other; and several would offer to help with the preparations of
dinner. Folks talked to one another and
genuinely wanted to know the welfare, the states of the other and stood ready
to offer support, which was accepted.
COMFORT just
does not happen; it must be created. Somebody must be the spark plug, the one
who starts planning for a better life, the one that helps to prepare another to
live under the eternal law. God understands the need for comfort. Because
comfort is encouragement and reassurance that others do care, a downhearted
person receives new motivation.
REST assured
that in all times and circumstances it shall be well with the righteous, but
the righteous cannot rest yet because there is much work to be done. There are
roughly 10 to 12 thousand African American Christians who attend religious
services weekly, and their responsibility is to go and teach all nations to
observe all things but not to be a part of all things. All Christian
communities have this same obligation and together we can make a difference in
the quality of life for one another.
WE as a
community must see that many of our young men and women and teenagers are
misguidedly following the wrong set of values. When the righteous commit to
heart the discernment of these our children, then plans of action to spend time
to teach them by being with them and showing them what is the right way simply
by our presence is a clear message of caring. The righteous must care more than
those who oppress our children if they expect to make a difference.
IN closing let
me offer words of encouragement and also quote from the book of 1 Thessalonians
Chapter 5, Verse 11 which says: “And so encourage one another and help one
another, just as you are now doing.” (The Good News Bible) I am your brother
pastor, anchored within your community, one who prays for our city by speaking
directly to the evil situations and asking God to fix them. Each of the
righteous persons can make the same kind of prayer and be assured that those
situations, one by one, will change. Taking action to remove your son or
daughter from adverse conditions requires persistent intervention by presenting
always the right kind of living before them.
ALL of the righteous can make a difference by being alert, sober, self-disciplined, and encouraging and edifying to others. The righteous must wear their defensive armor of faith, love, and hope in Christ while continuing the work of reconciling our children to a better way of living. Let us work together to save our youth. n