Al had a hard time in school. He never seemed to be able to keep up. When his teacher called him ‘Addled’ his mother immediately withdrew him from school to teach him at home. The teacher thought he couldn’t learn, but Al’s mother had a different opinion- she was a nurturer; she believed in him. She schooled him at home, and each time he failed she gave him hope and encouraged him to keep trying.

Whatever happened to Al? Well, eventually he grew up and became an inventor holding more than 1000 patents, including the phonograph and the first electric light bulb. You guessed it – his name was Thomas Alva Edison. Wow! When people have love and hope, there’s no telling how far they can go! Solomon writes: “Pleasant words are…healing.” So, how about your words? Do they build up or tear down? How do people feel when they’re around you? Do they feel small and insignificant, or do they leave you believing in themselves and realising what they can become?

With God every weed is a potential rose. His book, the Bible, is the ultimate book of hope. It tells us that Jonah got a second chance to go back to Nineveh and the whole city turned to God ( Jonah 3:1); that the Prodigal Son came back from a wasted life and was restored to his family ( Luke 15:11) and many other similar stories. Do you want to become great in God’s Kingdom? Become an encourager, a nurturer, and a restorer!

Peter Morphew
Chaplain