Ministry of Encouragement

A newspaper obituary caught my eye with this statement: “Services for affable fix-it man are today.” Instead of focusing on one of the movers and shakers of society, the article told the story of a 79-year-old appliance repairman who was known for his integrity, character, and unquenchable happiness. The president of the company for which the man had worked said, “Half of his job was to go to people’s houses and fix the appliances, and the other half was to fix the people. We had a lot of people with problems who requested him by name. He was very jovial, very friendly, and always had a kind word.” No matter what our job, perhaps the most important work we do is helping and encouraging people, especially by what we say. (Dave McCasland; Sept.4, 2000)