Encourage!

Gossip is nasty. Backstabbing is messy. Talking rubbish about others hurts. All these things drive people away. Encouraging people, though, will build relationships. We know all of this, so why do we still struggle to do it sometimes? Maybe we still struggle with being a positive, encouraging force with the people around us because we're focused on exactly that... people. And... people aren't perfect. It's hard to encourage someone who's hurt us.

But, what happens if we shift focus? In today's verse above, look at the first word. 'Therefore'. Well, what, therefore? Jesus, is what. 1 Thessalonians 5:10 NIV says: '[Jesus] died for us so that ... we may live together with him,' followed by... 'Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing'.

Ahh... got it! Jesus died for us. That context gives us a fresh set of eyes. Encouraging those who bug us is hard when we're focused on them and their actions. But encouraging them as a fellow human being, as imperfect as we are, as in need of love as we are, and as much a precious, struggling child-valued-by-God as we are... that's different. And that focus will help us when we're tempted to want to smack people with our words.



So what now? Ask someone to point out when you're being discouraging, gossiping or bad-mouthing someone. Give them permission to call you out. Then encourage.





— SCRIPTURE —

'Encourage one another and build each other up.' 1 Thessalonians 5:11 NIV
— SOULFOOD —

Lam 1:1-3:39, Matt 13:47-58, Ps 113, Pro 14:1-4