“And the brothers there, when they heard about us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. On seeing them, Paul thanked God and took courage.” – Acts 28:15
Never underestimate the power of simply showing up! Paul and his friends were finally nearing Rome after two years of imprisonment followed by a catastrophic shipwreck and a long winter of waiting for safe traveling weather. Once they arrived, Paul would face a trial for his life before the unpredictable Roman emperor. It’s no wonder he was feeling a bit down and discouraged!
Then some fellow Christians came out to meet them on their way. There’s no reason to think they’d met before. It wasn’t a reunion of long-lost friends. These followers of Jesus simply heard that a brother in Christ was coming to the region under less than ideal circumstances. So they went and offered encouragement. We have no idea what they said or did but it probably wasn’t earth-shattering in content. Nonetheless, it was enough to get Paul praising God as he instantly felt less isolated, more loved, and greatly encouraged.
Those unknown Christians didn’t need to have the “right words” to make this bad situation good. It was still a bad situation. However, it was better than before, simply because they came to visit. God was praised and the discouraged took courage because those believers made the short trip out to meet, greet, encourage, and pray. The power of that moment didn’t come from great speeches, deep wisdom, or miracle-working prayer. The power came from the fact that they simply showed up.
Embrace their example! Show up for someone going through a tough situation. Think about who might be encouraged if you visited them. Then visit them. Don’t worry about having the right words – there may not be right words. Don’t worry about what you’ll do, just go! Seek out the discouraged and make them feel cared for, loved, and a bit less lonely. Just show up! #FollowJesus