We Need You

Vol. 17 No. 32 | August 11, 2014

Another thought on being an encourager: We need you!

Encouragement is the action of giving someone support, confidence, or hope; to persuade someone to do or to continue something; the act of trying to stimulate the development of an activity, state, or belief. We need more encouragers.

You are an encourager when you, as parents, coaches, friends, and fans, surround your little league team before they go on the field and as they come off the field (win or lose) and shower them with high fives, pats on the back, fist pumps, and affirmations that say, “You played a great game!” “You did a great job!” “You can do it!” “We believe in you!” “We are proud of you!”

You are an encourager when, as a teenager, you take the time to sit down with an older friend, ask for advice, listen to the advice when it is given, and express appreciation for the influence the person is having on your life.

You are an encourager when your favorite golfer leaves a green, whether it was played well or not, and they hear your cheers of: “Keep it going!” “Keep your head up!” “You’re the man!”

You are an encourager when you move close to a young woman, put your arms around her, and hold her while she cries.

You are an encourager when you call a friend you have not heard from in a while and say, “I’ve missed you.”

You are an encourager when you stop the work you are doing to help a co-worker understand their job and talk with them about how they can do it better.

You are an encourager when you notice the little things that are done around the church that almost nobody notices and you find that person and say, “Thank you.”

You are an encourager when you take the time to write a handwritten note to the man who has not been in church for a while and say, “I want you to know that I miss you.”

You are an encourager when you text your best friend and say, “Thanks for being my best friend.”

You are an encourager when you walk alongside the little old lady in the grocery story and ask her if you can help her get her groceries to her car.

You are an encourager when go to your teacher and say, “Thank you. I’ve learned so much from you.”

You are an encourager when you promise to pray for someone, then you send them a note to let them that you have just prayed for them.

You are an encourager when you thank the server who hands you your coffee and you leave them an appropriate tip.

You are an encourager when you see someone do a kind deed and you make a point to tell them, “I saw what you did. Thank you.”

You are an encourager when you sense that someone is having a tough day and you ask them, “Are you okay?” And you wait for the answer.

You are an encourager when you look your son or your daughter in the eyes and say, “I’m proud of you.”

You are an encourager when everyone in the room has lost hope and you remind them that with God all things are possible.

You are an encourager when you come across a passage of Scripture that reminds you of someone you recently had a conversation with, and you send them an email including the Scripture and say, “This verse reminded me of you.”

You are an encourager when you are listening to someone you love as he shares his greatest fear and deepest regrets, and before you offer advice you say, “We should pray,” and you pray.

But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. (Hebrews 3:13, NIV)

Tom

© Copyright 2014 Tom Norvell. All rights reserved.