Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.

1 Corinthians 16:13 gives us a final exhortation, I love. "Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with love."
Paul is warning and exhorting us here, to represent Christ in love, standing fast in the faith, abiding in Him where we are equipped to be brave and strong. He gives us all we need to survive, multiply and bring more believers to knowledge of Christ. I was blessed, when very young, to be able to spend two summer vacations with American Indians of Polacca, Arizona. We taught Vacation Bible School.
I already loved the American West, cowboy and Indian stories. It was clear to me from the very beginning that people, can't accurately be grouped, by man. In other words, not all Indians were savages and not all cowboys were good guys. People are people. Two of my favorite American heroes are Pocahontas and Squanto, both becoming devoted Christians who changed the world for Christ.
1 Corinthians 16:13 causes me to sometimes picture Indian scouts, once so useful to the United States Calvary. They were so helpful to the settling of America. When serving the Hopi families, teaching VBS to their children, we found their chapel filled with animals! Their goats, dogs and chickens were running up the aisle just like their happy kids, until we began.When the kids saw us coming, they got ready to sing to Jesus. Their singing cleared the aisles and their faith filled the air. Their faith in Jesus was untainted by worldly comforts. Their joy in Jesus, was for real. They deeply ministered to my heart. They built my faith. They taught me their sign language and told me the story of Noah and the ark, using their hands, drawings and songs. They had been well taught in love, before I arrived, that's for sure. Surely, we are to simply go, where He sends. Often the missionary is the one sent to bless, but gets even more blessed! We can always trust, our God, who does all things well.
Satan has surprise attacks planned for every believer. It's wise to be in fellowship, in the word and to be prayer aware, watching and ready to fend off, incoming missiles, with our shields of faith. These Hopi believers were well fortified in the word of God, before I arrived. They were so very poor. They gave us their best. We slept on tables in sleeping bags. Each table leg was standing in a can of formaldehyde. This stopped scorpions from climbing into our sleeping bags with us! The pastor's baby crib was also standing in such cans. But we weren't afraid. We felt very cared for and safe.  Am grateful my parents sent me to Arizona those two summers. I'm still being blessed by the memory of those Hopi children's, love of Christ. They overflowed living water. It was pouring out of their spirit's, right there, in the physical dryness of the desert. It splashed onto us, so faith-refreshing!! Oh how He loves you, me and all His own!
Father God, maker of every tribe and person, lover of our souls, and deliverer from all temptation, please cause us all, to stand fast in faith, brave and strong, doing all with love, Your love, like those children gave me! Your love continues and ministers through the decades, ages and has no time barriers. May we be brave, like Squanto, Pocahontas and many Indian scouts of old, and be found watching, praying and in faith. When You send us out, may we be watchful, brave and strong. When You keep us home, may we all walk in faith and total trust. We love You. Amen.