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PROGRAM D-8103
The old song, “Home on the Range,” tells us that on this range there is never heard a discouraging word. I’d sure like to find that range, wouldn’t you? I’d like to find a place where discouraging words are never heard, because most of us hear a lot of discouragement from others all the time.
In examining how we, as Christians, should be encouragers, it is vital that we look for opportunities to encourage everyone around us, and that includes our managers.
Daniel did. In Daniel 11, we read that he encouraged Darius the Mede, his employer. Now understand that Daniel didn’t have it easy—he worked for an exacting and demanding manager. However, he still encouraged his employer.
A friend of mine worked for a difficult woman—a very demanding woman who required a lot and rarely, if ever, said “thanks” or showed any appreciation. Nobody liked her; they talked about her behind her back and did everything they could to avoid her. But my friend knew that, as a Christ-follower, she should have a different attitude toward her. So she began to pray for her and asked God to show her how best to relate to her.
About a month before this executive’s birthday, the Lord gave Beth a special verse from Proverbs 21:14: “A gift given in secret soothes anger. . .” She knew it was a clear direction from God that she was to give this lady a birthday gift. And Beth obeyed.
She left a gift—an encouragement—for her, along with a note which thanked her for her hard work and her insistence on excellence. As she closed the note, she told her that God loved her very much and she was very special to him.
The woman was absolutely overwhelmed by this gesture. Nobody else in the office would give her the time of day, much less a birthday gift. She called Beth in and sincerely thanked her—with tears in her eyes. There was a definite change on her part toward Beth. And, of course, others noticed all of this, and were amazed at the results. A little encouragement, given to a manager at God’s prompting, was a beautiful testimony to God’s love.