Encouraging Words

 

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

1 Thessalonians 5:11

 

 

Many of the commands in the Bible have to do with how we should act toward other Christians. I call them the “one another” verses. We are to love one another (1 John 4:7), admonish and teach one another (Colossians 3:16), serve one another (1 Peter 4:10), fellowship with one another (1 John 1:7), be humble toward one another (1 Peter 5:5), and bear with and forgive one another (Colossians 3:13). That list continues with be humble toward one another (1 Peter 5:5), show hospitality to one another (1 Peter 4:9), confess to one another and pray for one another (James 5:16).

I want to tell you about how other Christians encouraged me this weekend. I had a speaking engagement close to my own hometown and was delighted when I walked in and saw many women I knew. It was like going home. Many of the women there had attended at one time or another the BSF class I taught. It was a great thing to see so many familiar faces and most of them made their way to me throughout the morning. I can’t begin to tell you how encouraging that was for me!

But in addition to the old familiar faces many new ladies spoke to me and encouraged me after the teaching time with how God had used the teaching from His Word to grow their faith. They showed me great warmth and a love for the Lord that was shining through their words.

This is just a part of what God has for us to do for each other. I left that place feeling the love of the Lord through His people and the encouragement of the Lord through their words. It was a special gift for me and they were equally as encouraging to each other in their fellowship though they came from many churches.

Thinking about all this encouragement has made me think about my own behavior – especially on Sunday mornings. As I go to the house of God and worship with my church family, am I being encouraging? Does the love of God shine through to me to my brothers and sisters in the Lord that might need a word of encouragement or a listening ear?

Some weeks it seems that I have a “get out quickly” mentality that makes me move as fast as I can from my pew to the door. Other days, like this week, I might be there for a long time. Schedules aren’t a bad thing but sometimes it’s important to stick around a little and minister to the body. It usually turns out that the days that I stay to talk with others are the days I leave feeling like part of the family. It ministers to me as much as to anyone I might minister to.

SO, what’s the rush? When we look at all the commands God’s gives us to do for one another it’s obvious that our church family is one place we need to learn to slow down, listen, encourage, and love. If we do all that we will be serving each other – just as the Lord God commands and as the ladies of St. John’s Reformed did for each other and for me on Saturday.

What a blessing to see the body encourage and build one another up!