the refresher

Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest

is a faithful messenger to those who send him;

he refreshes the soul of his masters.

Proverbs 25:13

This proverb affirms he value of being a person who has an encouraging, refreshing, and uplifting personality. These people produce a sort of kindness that makes hard work easier to endure and pulls people through difficult circumstances. Truly kind actions and words make the world a better place.

The picture that this proverb paints shows us a scene of hard-pressed workers in the heat of a harvest. In Palestine, this is from June through September depending on the crop being brought in. It is the hottest season of the year. Hand harvesting is backbreaking and sweaty work. Those who do it get dry, dusty, and thirsty. And the picture is of someone making an extravagant trip to the mountains just to bring back snow for refreshment. Imagine snow cones being served to parched, dry, sun-burned field hands. That’s the value of an encouraging message and messenger. They can totally refresh others.

This chapter of Proverbs seems to exclusively focus on passing on wisdom to leaders and kings. And a good leader will realize there is great value in going to lengths to refresh those who toil hard under their management. They value refreshment. Great leaders send encouraging messages. They value encouraging people and empower them to be people who refresh and strengthen those around them.

God Himself loves to refresh the weary: “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters...” Isaiah 55:1. Jesus makes the same refreshing offer to all who will believe in Him: “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water I will give Him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of living water welling up to eternal life” John 4:13-14.