SCRIPTURE
“Therefore encourage one another, and build each other up, just as in fact you were doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11
SPOTLIGHT
Terry Waite was an Anglican clergyman who was taken hostage in Lebanon in the late 1980s. Upon being released, he told how he found encouragement in a postcard which arrived after he had spent four years in captivity under rigorous conditions. The postcard was a picture of a stained-glass window which depicted John Bunyan in jail. Bunyan was the 17th century Puritan author of, “Pilgrim’s Progress.” The card had been sent by Joy Brodia of Bedford, England. This is the town where Bunyan was imprisoned for his faith in Jesus Christ 300 years before. Waite commented, “I turned the card over, and there was a message from someone I didn’t know, and who simply said, “We remember. We shall not forget. We shall continue to pray for you, and to work for all people who are detained around the world.” That card turned into a daily encouragement for four years.
Paul wrote the Thessalonian Christians in order to encourage them in their faith. They were very young Christians who needed to be strengthened in knowing what they believed, and why they believed it. As he concluded the letter, he encouraged the believers to get involved in the ministry of encouragement. [Note the guidelines 1 Thessalonians 5:11 offers].
First, encourage each other. People are the primary encouragers of people. As significant as a sunset may be, a person’s encouraging words far exceed the sunset. Encourage daily. Life is brief. Today’s encouragement is not tomorrow’s, or the next days. People are in need of daily affirmation, and support.
Second, encourage each other by building each other up. Speak compliments, and express appreciation. Strengthen people to help them avoid sin’s deceptions. Without encouragement, sin can begin to deceive. It starts small, and grows big. The satisfaction gained from sin is exaggerated. Encouragement discourages wrong thinking, and actions.
Third, continually encourage each other. Paul says, “…just as in fact you were doing.” Don’t do it once, or twice, but do it often. Encouragement can be given in a variety of forms. It may be verbal appreciation in the form of a compliment, or a comforting exhortation. [Ex. “Let me encourage you to keep on…”]. It may be nonverbal. A pat on the shoulder, a smile, or a gesture, can all reinforce a person. And don’t forget a text, or email, are quick ways of reaching people whether they are close by, or far away. In Hebrews 3:13, the Bible says, “But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called ‘today’, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” Have an appreciative eye which will become translated into appreciative words.
Encouragement is something people can’t live without. That’s why God desires all Christians to be encouragers. No one is exempt. All are called to the ministry of encouragement. What a tremendous impact there is within the Christian community when Christians live out this Biblical injunction.
SOMETHING TO DO
Who is the Holy Spirit bringing to your mind at this very moment to encourage? I believe He is doing that because I have prayed that this would happen as you read this devotional. You need to act right now. Will it be a text, call, or hug? Just do it!
SOUL TIME PRAYER
Heavenly Father, I ask that You would make my heart big like Yours. Teach me how to encourage people to love You more. Give me appreciative eyes that will be translated into appreciative words, and gestures, so that people will be strengthened in their faith in You. AMEN.