One of the things that I think we as Christians can do a much better job of is in the area of encouraging each other. We're very quick to point out why things won't work, especially when it's something new in the context of our congregation or gathering. We're also very good at pointing out how it may depart from our traditional approach to things, and to render a bit of resistance to the thought of changing in accordance with any new proposals.
We also find it very natural to grumble about a lot of things, especially when they don't go our way. If we don't like the direction of something, we're often not shy about speaking up about our discontent. And I will say that there is a role for things like this. In some respects, we should always be challenging the things we do (new as well as traditional) because if we discover that they are no longer serving the Gospel, then perhaps it is time to look at something different.
But when it comes to encouraging, we often lack any consistent basis of doing this. Sure, we may complement the choir and the director when they have a good piece offered in worship, but we perhaps fail to encourage them outside of that time. We send our children to be taught by Sunday School teachers, but fail to consistently thank them for the sacrifices that they have to make to prepare lessons, to put up with our children, and then we wonder why no one wants to serve as a Sunday School teacher.
The encouragement to encourage is found throughout the pages of the Scriptures. Quite frequently in his letters, St. Paul says to speak well to each other, to encourage one another, and to build up one another. And so, I'm going to issue a challenge today. When you go to worship tomorrow, keep track of how many expressions of encouragement cross your lips. Observe how many you hear in the context of your time with God's people overall.
Being an encourager means a few things. First, you have to be looking for opportunities to encourage. Believe me, they are there. In fact, I would dare say you will find more of them than you should find of reasons to be critical of others. Second, it means you have to be prepared to actually speak that word of encouragement. Just noticing the fine job someone else does, but not mentioning it to them or to others really amounts to the same as not encouraging. Encouraging requires words of encouragement being spoken.
WARNING: If you start encouraging others a lot, be prepared for people to think that you have rose colored glasses on, or something along those lines. It may sound strange, but we simply are not that used to hearing words of encouragement, so we tend to look somewhat strangely at those who are openly encouraging of others. But just imagine if that became the norm rather than the exception. Maybe, just maybe, that would be a service to our God and His Gospel message.
We also find it very natural to grumble about a lot of things, especially when they don't go our way. If we don't like the direction of something, we're often not shy about speaking up about our discontent. And I will say that there is a role for things like this. In some respects, we should always be challenging the things we do (new as well as traditional) because if we discover that they are no longer serving the Gospel, then perhaps it is time to look at something different.
But when it comes to encouraging, we often lack any consistent basis of doing this. Sure, we may complement the choir and the director when they have a good piece offered in worship, but we perhaps fail to encourage them outside of that time. We send our children to be taught by Sunday School teachers, but fail to consistently thank them for the sacrifices that they have to make to prepare lessons, to put up with our children, and then we wonder why no one wants to serve as a Sunday School teacher.
The encouragement to encourage is found throughout the pages of the Scriptures. Quite frequently in his letters, St. Paul says to speak well to each other, to encourage one another, and to build up one another. And so, I'm going to issue a challenge today. When you go to worship tomorrow, keep track of how many expressions of encouragement cross your lips. Observe how many you hear in the context of your time with God's people overall.
Being an encourager means a few things. First, you have to be looking for opportunities to encourage. Believe me, they are there. In fact, I would dare say you will find more of them than you should find of reasons to be critical of others. Second, it means you have to be prepared to actually speak that word of encouragement. Just noticing the fine job someone else does, but not mentioning it to them or to others really amounts to the same as not encouraging. Encouraging requires words of encouragement being spoken.
WARNING: If you start encouraging others a lot, be prepared for people to think that you have rose colored glasses on, or something along those lines. It may sound strange, but we simply are not that used to hearing words of encouragement, so we tend to look somewhat strangely at those who are openly encouraging of others. But just imagine if that became the norm rather than the exception. Maybe, just maybe, that would be a service to our God and His Gospel message.
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