vs. 7 Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you , brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.

Wow! Wouldn’t you want to be known as the one who gives joy and encouragement because you have refreshed the hearts of the saints? If this act of refreshing brings joy and encouragement to other saints who observe it, then we should aspire to this refreshment of the hearts of our brothers and sisters. It is a two-way street and no one loses. How, then, are we to do this? In the Greek, this word is different than you might think. It means a rest from labor as in giving land rest by sowing light and easy crops for a season. It could be as simple as helping someone during a time of stress, lifting their burden by running errands, watching kids for a while, or visiting the sick. One time, I called and sang an old children’s Sunday School song to a friend who was having a few very bad days. She was blessed and lifted up. Ask God. He will be happy to show you how to refresh the hearts of His saints.