Drained or Refreshed?

 When we are around other people, they have a definite effect on us. It can be a positive effect or a negative effect. The truth is that it drains us to be around some people. The way they act or talk drags us down instead of lifting us up. On the other hand, we love to see other people coming. It is like they are able to charge our battery. When we depart from them, we leave refreshed. That is the kind of person we ought to want to be.

That is what Paul said about his friend, Philemon. (Philemon 1:7) He said that he had great joy and consolation in Philemon's love, because the hearts of the saints had been refreshed by him. That was a great compliment for his brother in Christ. He had caused them joy and consolation, and he had refreshed the believers in the church in his area. I think we should stop to think how we could have that said of us.   

We are drained when we talk with another person, and all they want to do is to talk about themselves. Also, it is very draining when they only want to talk about problems or gossip about other people. Their negativity is laid on us like a burden that weighs us down. All of this shows that they don't really care about us or other people. They only care about themselves and what they can get out of us.

On the other hand we are refreshed when we speak to another person, and they ask about us. We are lifted up, when we can tell they care about us, and they want to know us better. It is really great when we see their love for us and for others in their actions and not just in their words. These things refresh our heart, because we see God's love being lived out in their life. I believe that is what we all need to do to refresh others. They will be blessed, and we will be blessed in the process.

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Tomorrow, I intend to read Hebrews 1-3.