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5. Love is encouraging.
Would you consider yourself to be an encouraging person? I received an email of encouragement from a co-worker the other day. He affirmed me for the job I did leading a project.
When I opened and read the email, I was shocked. This particular individual is a person of very few words. He’s pretty reserved and quiet so when he sent a “way to go” to me, I was really surprised. I was also super grateful. The fact that he took time to send a note of encouragement was a very kind gesture.
When was the last time you spoke words of encouragement to someone? Or cheered someone on?
I was grabbing lunch at a nearby restaurant the other day when I heard the manager yell out a “way to go team.” I have never heard a restaurant manager giving a shout out to cheer on their team. It really left an impression on me to hear her encourage her employees.
Encouragement can breathe life into people. Genuine affirmation can be just what someone needs to keep going.
Proverbs 16:24 says, “Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.”
There have been times in my life where I have questioned where God wants me and if I am even making an impact in my ministry. When out of the blue, I will receive a text or a handwritten note from someone expressing gratitude for something I have done or a conversation that we had that made a difference for them. I know the Holy Spirit put it on their hearts to write to me at just the perfect time when I needed to be spurred on. And I am so grateful that they heeded the Spirit because he used them to remind me to stay the course.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 reminds us to, “encourage each other and build each other up.” Who can you speak life into today with a word of encouragement? Maybe it’s a coworker that you can give words of affirmation to, or a friend you can cheer on. Who can you encourage this week, face-to-face, send a text, email or a handwritten note? Who can you practice the love habit of encouragement with? It’s a double win. They will be blessed by your genuine and positive words and you will get a boost from blessing someone.
Here is a short but powerful verse from 1 Corinthians 16:14 that sums everything up. “Do everything in love.”
In every circumstance, with every person you encounter. Be Jesus…be love.
