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Many times God puts people into our lives who have a need that we can meet. First Thessalonians 5:14b says, “Warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone.”
You know, there are many people who are timid and shy, and we need to be sensitive to them and encourage them. Timidity can be very painful, and frequently timid people avoid contact with others simply to eliminate the uncomfortableness they often feel around other people.
Is there a timid person in your life? If so, they’re not there by accident and your job is to encourage them. Many look perfectly confident, as they’ve learned to put on a good front. But you’ll notice they’ll hang back in a group, are reluctant to say anything, often the last to come and the first to leave a function. They appear to be loners, and many times people leave them alone because they think they want to be alone. In fact, they may even claim that they prefer to be alone.
But often deep inside they are longing for someone who will be persistent enough to get to know them, to include them in the group. So, we can encourage those who are timid by watching out for them, learning to include them, trying to make them comfortable in our presence.
Psalm 82:3 says, “Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.” Are there some weak people in your life right now? They may be weak in body—elderly, sick, shut-in, or handicap. Did you ever think that those weak people are in your life because God wants you to help them? Most of us have someone in our lives that fits that category. How much do we do for those who are physically weak? God is very pleased when we go out of our way for these weak people.
There are people who need our financial help because they have no earthly goods and cannot provide for themselves. That means giving some money to people who have less than we do. I imagine you can think of someone right now who fits that description. Why not give them some money? It doesn’t have to be a large amount, but give them something. You’ll be greatly blessed.
Remember, as you go through your day, that no one is in your life by accident. If you come across a shy person, God has instructed you to encourage them. Even if you’re shy yourself—or maybe especially if you’re shy yourself—you have the responsibility to encourage them. If you see a weak person—physically weak, financially weak, even morally weak—God says you are to help them. They are not in your life by accident.