“What are you writing on those Bible verse cards?” I asked my older daughter inquisitively. “Those are encouragement cards to some of my classmates for comforting our loss in Taiwanese Middle School Class Relay Races.” I picked them up and read them one by one, words like, “Remember the days we’re running and laughing on the field.” “You’re so great. Though we lost the game, let’s wipe our tears away and move on.” I’m impressed by what she’s working on those little cards on which the word of God is also printed and they can be encouraging and powerful.

Our God is “the God of all comfort” mentioned in Paul’s letter to his fellow Christians, so that every Christian can others in troubles in the same comfort he/she received from God. We all at times suffer discomfort or distress in our daily life as our expectation has not been met by what we had thought or something undesirable falls upon us accidentally. We therefore try to seek advice or comfort those uncomfortable things as they come against us. We also offer condolence to those who are suffering. But as we know God is “the God of all comfort,” we recognize that he is the solution to all and answers all our questions. As long as we come near him in our troubles, he definitely comforts us with his unfailing love and mercy. After we are comforted by God’s love we are able to comfort others.

As my daughter were working on her encouragement card, I know she is able to comfort and inspire her classmates through those words because she has received the same encouragement from God. I also expect the classmates receiving the cards from my daughter would be able to extend their encouragement to others as well.