Pushing the Shopping Cart

The other day I sat in the parking lot of Cosco's waiting for my sister-in-law. As I sat waiting for her I noticed a small boy pushing a cart heavily laden with groceries. Behind him was a man that I assumed was his father. As the little boy struggled with pushing the cart across the parking lot using all the effort that he could muster I watched as the man walked closely behind him being sure not to move to far away just in case his son needed his assistance.

As the two of them passed in front of my car I had the opportunity to see the
expression on their faces. The father smiled and gave words of encouragement and the little boy had a look of determination that indicated that he was determined to see the task through.

Sometimes we forget the importance of what having a good cheerleader can do to boost our confidence and give us that extra push when the cart gets heavy. Acts 11:25-26 tells us about how Barnabas (The Son of Encouragement) met with the people of Antioch for an entire year to give themwords of encouragement about Christ. Because of Barnabas' words the people of Antioch were the first to be called Christians.

Who knows what that father could be spurning on in his son with his simple words of encouragement. Today a grocery cart, but tomorrow who knows?