ACEs
Mark E. Haskins
September 21, 2026
On an otherwise ordinary Thursday morning in an east coast U.S. Naval Air Station hangar, men and women of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corp declared a time out in their work week to spotlight two of their own—the outgoing and incoming commanders of an important test flight squadron. I was invited to attend my friend’s change-of-command ceremony. He was leaving to do a tour at the Pentagon. As you might expect, the ceremony was patriotic and replete with numerous flags, a brass band, various uniforms indicative of different ranks and services, and impressive airplanes and helicopters. But for me, there was more. As my friend and others spoke from the stage, I was reminded of something that many of us receive and give far too little. The ceremony was a time of blessing others with sincere affirmations (A), invitations to celebrate (C), and earnest words of encouragement (E) — ACE for short.
Our lives so easily take on a busyness applied to our never completed To Do list. Interpersonal interactions are too often transactional in nature, void of much meaningful vulnerability or depth. Chalk up a subtle but insidious win for God’s enemy on that front. Given such a state of affairs, we zoom right past opportunities to affirm those we are close to. Moreover, we are woefully remiss in celebrating life’s mile markers and contributions. And, I don’t know about you, I find encouragement from others quite scarce. I love that the U.S. military unapologetically took the time to publicly affirm, celebrate, and encourage their own that day. A U.S. Marine Corp general did that for my friend who, in turn, did the same for those he had led and was leaving behind. Likewise, the incoming commander did the same for those who had helped him along the way. As a stone thrown into a pond produces an array of ripples that fall onto many points along a shoreline, this change of command ceremony was a time of rippling affirmations, celebrations, and encouragements, blessing many lives. Those in the spotlight that day played their ACEs.
I don’t think our Triune God plays cards, but He has played many ACEs. For example, our Heavenly Father modeled affirmation when he declared for all to hear about Jesus, “This is my son, the Beloved, in whom I delight” (Matthew 3: 17, TCNT). When Jesus walked this earth, He made a point to explicitly affirm the faith of others. He did so for the centurion who sought healing for his ill servant (Matthew 8) and for the servants who doubled the money they had been given to steward (Matthew 25). There was also the woman with the bleeding disease and the blind man outside Jericho whom Jesus affirmed (Matthew 9 and Mark 10). In addition, He did not overlook the woman whose daughter was possessed by a demon or the woman who washed His feet with her tears (Matthew 15 and Luke 7). In each instance, Jesus took the time to affirm those individuals’ demonstration of faith in what they had said or done. What blessings we, too, can bestow when we are led to affirm someone with words like: “I see Jesus in you” or “You love well” or “Your peace and patience is such a testimony” or “You are a gift from God in my life.” Indeed, we can always find opportunities to affirm another person’s faithfulness, love, humility, selflessness, friendship, and insights.
Celebrations are well known in God’s realm, too. According to Jesus, there is great rejoicing in heaven related to the outcomes noted in His parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son (Luke 15). Celebrations need not be large undertakings. Heartfelt celebrations can simply be acknowledging and enjoying a sincere moment of rejoicing with another person. Navajo tribes have been known to celebrate a newborn’s “first laughter,” using that occasion for a naming ceremony.1 Celebrations we can initiate today can be about someone’s significant encounter with God’s gracious direction, provision, presence, or assurances. We can also celebrate someone’s generosity, care, or outreach. Are we on the lookout for such opportunities? A hug. A word of congratulations. A public acknowledgement. A standing ovation in a crowded restaurant. A card/note of thanks indicating how special that person was in doing what they did or saying what they said. Raised glasses to toast a quiet example of a friend experiencing the “more life, more love, more freedom”2 that God intends for us. All are sweet. We celebrate too little. We can always use a milestone reached, a passage experienced, an outcome achieved, an initiative taken, faith demonstrated, creativity displayed, promises kept, and assistance rendered as a reason for a moment of celebration. We should not let the usual “well done” things we see in others become viewed as ordinary occurrences that are taken for granted. What might we celebrate this week in another person who conveyed God’s redeeming love?
Encouragement is an important element in heavenly realms, also. We are reminded to, “run with patient endurance the race that lies before [us]” (Hebrews 12: 1, TCNT). Jesus encouraged us to come to Him so He could give us rest (Matthew 11: 28). He also said that He would give us His peace so that we need not worry (John 14: 27). In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus encouraged those most unlikely to be singled out as special of the blessings awaiting and available to them (Matthew 5: 3-12). As friends face difficult choices, big opportunities, stressful circumstances, chronic challenges, or heavy responsibilities, we are to “encourage one another daily” (Hebrews 3: 13, TCNT). We can journey with younger men and women, assuring them of God’s love, presence, and faithfulness. We can walk alongside our seasoned peers, reminding them of all they have learned and seen of our loving Heavenly Father throughout the years. We can do any or all of this by our words, by praying with them, and by offering our time, talents, availability, insights, attention, and assistance.
At a basic level, when we play an ACE we convey three important messages—I see you, I hear you, I like what I see and hear. So, just as my friend’s change of command ceremony was a time of affirming, celebrating, and encouraging others, so too we are wise to seize the opportunities in our lives to do likewise, especially as followers of Jesus. We can do that in our roles as parents, friends, spouses, colleagues, and siblings. No excuses. No procrastination. We can elevate everyday moments to holy moments. With such a desire in our heart, it is amazing how often, during the course of a week, we can play an ACE—a holy ACE because we are speaking God’s love and attention into the life of another person. Ministry can be that simple. Playing an ACE requires very little time, no money, no talent, no pastor position—just a willingness and the initiative to do so. And, can we then imagine our Lord saying to us, “Well done, good, trustworthy servant! … come and share your master's joy!” (Matthew 25: 21 TCNT). I believe we can. And to share in His joy, how special! Lord, open our eyes and hearts to the ACE moments before us each day. May we simply speak your words of affirmation, celebration, and encouragement to those You want to bless. Amen.
1 Hampton Sides (2006), Blood and Thunder—The Epic Story of Kit Carson and the Conquest of the American West (Anchor Books, NY, NY), p. 46.
2 These three foci are central to the mission of Zoweh Ministry. Readers are referred to: https://www.zoweh.org/exploring-more-podcast/the-four-pillars-of-zoweh/the-four-pillars-of-zoweh-more-love-more-life-more-freedom .
NOTES: TCNT (Twentieth Century New Testament), Revised Edition, Published in 1900-1904 by Fleming H. Revell Company, in the public domain.
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