Carrying Courage and Kindness: Lessons from a Little Mirror
Show Notes: To Be and Do – Because.short.2
Welcome back to “To Be and Do” and our special mini-series, the “Because” podcast! In this concise and heartfelt second installment, host Philip Amerson turns his focus to a universal need—encouragement. Drawing inspiration from both ancient scripture and a captivating modern parable, Phil unpacks why, how, and where we find the courage to push forward, especially during challenging times.
Phil opens by inviting us into a reflective moment: Where do you find courage? Where do you feel discouraged? He reminds us that encouragement often flourishes in community—through the support and presence of others. Quoting the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians, Phil emphasizes the importance of continually lifting one another up: “Encourage one another as you have been doing, for this is the work of God.”
He brings the message home with a poignant reminder from the classroom. First grade teachers, he shares, open their doors each fall, hoping their students arrive knowing basics like the alphabet, numbers, or even just their names. Heartbreakingly, some children don’t even know their own true names—sometimes only nicknames, or names that carry the sting of teasing. It’s a gentle but powerful illustration of how vital encouragement and true recognition can be for young hearts (and adults, too).
Phil’s episode crescendos with a remarkable story about Greek scholar Alexander Papandreas. When jokingly asked about the meaning of life, Papandreas offers a deeply visual answer. He produces a small mirror he’s carried since childhood—a fragment salvaged from a World War II wreck, shaped and polished over years. With this mirror, Papandreas explains, he learned to reflect light into dark places, even if he was not the source of the light. His life’s purpose, he shares, is to aim that light wherever there is darkness.
Phil closes with a call to action: Let each of us shine a bit of light for others—remind every child and adult they are, above all, a Beloved Child of God.
Key Takeaways:
- Encouragement is Essential: We all need support, and sharing encouragement is part of our collective work.
- Recognition Matters: Sometimes, positive words and simply knowing one’s name can change a life, especially for children.
- Be a Reflector of Light: Even if we’re not the source, we can help illuminate others’ paths in dark times.
- Everyone Deserves to be Called ‘Beloved’: Affirming others’ worth can be a simple but profound gift.
Tune in for this warm reminder that we’re all connected by our ability—and calling—to lift one another up.
Philip Amerson [00:00:02]:
Greetings. This is Phil Emerson again. And some of you know, we're doing brief little episodes. This is we, this we're calling because the because podcast around the be and do efforts. And this is because number two, and today is simply a short thought about encouragement. Where do you find courage? Where are you discouraged? And often encouragement is the result of those around you. In Thessalonians, first Thessalonians, the writer Paul, this was written about 50 A.D. writes in the fifth chapter.
Philip Amerson [00:00:45]:
Continue to encourage one another as you have been doing for this is the work of God. I know teachers who this fall are welcoming students back. And the first grade teachers have told me one of them that she looks forward to having students in hopes that they know their Alphabet and hopes that they know their numbers and maybe their colors. And she said, you won't believe it, but some students come and they don't even know their name or they may know the nickname they're called or. Or maybe a name that is not very nice, but they don't know the real name. One of the great stories is Alexander Papandreas, who was a scholar and a leader in, in Greece, was once in a meeting and at the end he was gathering up ending thoughts and he said, are there any questions? And someone in the back, smart Alex said, so what's the meaning of life? And pop. Andreas for a moment looked at the leader of the group and he didn't seem to have any answers. And Papandreas says, I'll tell you what the meaning of life is.
Philip Amerson [00:02:04]:
And Papandreas reached in his wallet and pulled out a little round piece of glass. It was a mirror. And he said, when I was a child, I found this. The German officers that were patrolling in our community, one of them had had an accident on his motorcycle and there shattered mirrors all over the place. And he said, I took the largest piece I could find and I used a rock and I made it round and I've carried it with me ever since. And he said, what I learned was that that little mirror could take light and reflect it into dark places. He said, you know, over the years, I've known that I'm not the light, I'm not the source of the light, but I can help reflect the light in dark places. And he took that little mirror and shined it around the room into the faces of all the people there and into the leader of the meeting as an example of someone who shines light in dark places.
Philip Amerson [00:03:12]:
Children need to know that their name is Beloved Child of God. Words of encouragement. Go share that with some child or some adult or whoever may need to hear that there's something good for them to experience. Phil Emerson for the because episode number two.
