'Big Phil'

'Big Phil'. Does the name ring any bells?

Luiz Felipe Scolari - as in (ex-)Chelsea manager?

Phil Brown - as in (still) Hull City manager?

Or maybe the tag rings no bells at all.

Well, 'Big Phil' is a guy who figures in the Bible.

Not a lot, I have to say. But enough to make me think that I'd have liked the man. I suspect that most folk did.

I mean, he's not actually called 'Big Phil' obviously. And when I dub him 'Big', I'm not really talking about his height or weight. Just his heart.

For though he only plays the smallest of parts, I think he must have been a big-hearted sort of man.

The Bible has a letter that was written to this man. Compared to your average Christmas thank-you letter it's not exactly short. But compared to the rest of the letters the Bible contains ... well, it's really pretty brief.

The writer says this about our man 'Big Phil' - "you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints."

Which, I think, is a wonderful thing to be said by someone about you.

I was made to think of 'Big Phil' again today. Mainly by the people I was meeting and the time I spent with them.

Because there are folk like that around and it's always a joy and always so very uplifting to be with them and work with them.

There's a man I had lunch with today, for instance. He's not often up in these parts, but he'd been up for a meeting last night and I was glad to be able to arrange with him to meet with him today. Along with Douglas, as usual, of course.

This man is a genuine 'brother' in Christ. You kind of sense that straight away with him. A down to earth integrity: an easy, warm humility.

And he always has the effect of refreshing the hearts of the saints. He's good to be with and his gentle, child-like spirit of adventure and his wonderful, enthusiastic outlook on all life ... well, they're highly infectious.

In some ways I guess that's exactly what Jesus himself was like. Wherever he went he simply refreshed the hearts of the saints.

The folk that I work with here are like that. Their friendship, support and encouragement are a 'Big Phil' type of ministry. Their effect is really positive. And especially when we stop for a bit and pray.

And every time I think about this guy, 'Big Phil', I always end up praying, Lord, make me like that myself.

The 'postie' was in this morning. I met him in the 'Gents' - a chance encounter, you understand, rather than a pre-arranged meeting place - and he agreed to stop for a coffee today.

His 4 mph average speed was maybe a little affected by this little break, but it's good for the guy to stop. I sometimes watch him at his daily work, touring the whole community, knocking at doors, calling across to people across the street. Everyone knows the man.

So from time to time he's ready to stop for a break with us here. Which in some ways is a minor miracle in itself.

And the way I've been thinking today, I see how a man like that, with a job like that, can be, if he chooses, a 'Big Phil' sort of guy. Refreshing the hearts of the people he calls on and meets every day.

Of course, that's one of the problems with this 4 mph average speed that they're looking for. It's not a good speed for refreshing the hearts of anyone. The thing has become a business, like so much else, instead of a part of our daily community life.

More's the pity.

I was seeing someone else at night. This time by arrangement. That, too, was a time when my heart was refreshed once again.

A time of sharing vision, I suppose. And a time, I guess in consequence, when I found myself encouraged in the knowledge that, however long it takes, we'll get to be the people that God means that we should be.

And maybe that time is sooner than I think. I keep thinking we're nearing the 'tipping point'. The point at which, after years of gently edging slowly forward, the moment of momentum is attained.

To be given that sense, to be helped to believe that that hope will be realised soon - well, that's a 'Big Phil' sort of ministry as well.

And if I'm so much on the receiving end of 'Big Phil' sorts of folk, then I want to be always living like that myself.