Remembering the days of my youth and being around my school friends I can recall words that were said to me concerning life. Most of the time this came in the form of sports and dealing with a game; however, what I remember affected me in many ways.
I was a shy person and most of the time I was too timid to speak up and say what I really wanted to. Many of the boys I hung out with recognized my sports ability and encouraged me to participate in games when my confidence was on a low level. My schoolteachers, especially in math, told me I had a gift of understanding and encouraged me to study hard and be a leader among my classmates. My mom and Sunday school teachers introduced me to Jesus and encouraged me to study His Word and follow His commandments.
When I was in high school I worked in a grocery store for a man that gave me great advice in dealing with the public. I watched him as he spoke to people and learned from his willingness to help others. I never realized what I learned from all of these people until I joined the military and went to basic training.
It was then that I realized that all of these young men from around the United States were just like me. Some had leadership abilities but had to be encouraged to use their God given talents from our training instructors. I was encouraged by these much disciplined men and they showed me ways of encouraging others to bring out the best in them. We were all taught to be the very best we could be and encourage others to do the same.
Being a Christian living in a sinful world is sometimes very hard. If we did not have God’s Holy Word to lean on and learn from, witnessing to others would be almost impossible. Through our daily prayer life we are encouraged through times of discipline and testing. God’s Word gives us hope, nurtures patience and kindness.
When someone tells you that you will never amount to anything or tells you that you can’t do something, then there is a good chance you never will. Parents will sometimes tell their children this when children disobey or disappoint them. This is the worst thing a parent can say to their child, taking away their hopes and desires of accomplishment. Without encouragement many will say their life is pointless and burdensome.
The Bible tells us to encourage one another and remind each other of the truth that God loves us, equips us, tells us we are treasured, and that our struggles are worth it.
For me, my encouragement came from Christian parents, Christian friends, Christian employers, and Christian military instructors plus many others that I have been fortunate to be around. This has made it easy for me to encourage others especially my family, children, friends, and coworkers.
What about you? Are you an encourager? Proverbs 16:24 tell us, “Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.”
It is easy to be critical and tear someone down but a Godly person will encourage others to pick up their troubles, move forward, and overcome them.
Prayer: Thank you Jesus for your encouraging words. I pray that I can be an encourager to all people that I am around. Amen.
