Do you ever wonder why at times it is so hard to receive encouragement, or maybe a compliment? I'm sure you have friends who always counter an encouraging word with some kind of self-demotion; as if they are trying to keep themselves from seeing God's work in their lives (which is what encouragement is meant to do, point others to see God's gracious activity in their lives).
I'm not really sure why we respond this way, but my initial thought is that we are not used to encouragement. Maybe we aren't encouraging one another enough so we aren't accustomed to respond in the proper manner? I blame this on everyone else. You guys just simply don't encourage me enough, so please step up to the plate and dish out some encouragement so that I will learn to respond biblically. Please, do this for me (that sounds like a modern book on Christianity. I bet it would sell!). Not really, but I have been thinking about this a lot lately.
"...and let us consider how to stimulate (spur) one another to love and good deeds..."
A couple of things strike me in this verse. One of which changed my entire approach to encouragement.
-- First thing is the phrase, "let us consider." For too long I have been waiting for opportunities to pop up for encouragement. This verse tells us to consider how we may spur one another on to love and good deeds. That word consider means "to fix ones mind on" or "to give all attention to." This is an all out cognitive effort on our part towards encouraging others before we are ever even around them; although considering ways to encourage people while you are with them is a perfect time as well. This kind pf encouragement prescribed by the Lord takes diligence, thought, intentional planning and on top of that, the ability to carry it out, to deliver the premeditated encouraging words or actions.
-- The other thing that stands out to me about this verse is the desired goal of spurring one another on; love and good deeds. These are godly things we are talking about here. You want to zone in on the work of God in the lives of people, and spur them on to continue growing in godliness. My good friend Jason is a great basketball player, he smokes me every time we play. If all my encouragement towards Jason is towards his athletic ability I am not spurring him on to love and good deeds. If I see Jason handle a situation at school with a child with the love and compassion that the Lord has for us, I need to draw His attention to the fact that he dealt graciously with the child, demonstrating the love of Christ, and encourage him to continue doing so. True encouragement is locked in on drawing attention to the Lord's work in others lives and spurring them on in their God glorifying activity.
The easy thing to do is compliment people in areas of little or no significance because that's the first thing that comes to mind. Train yourself to see the Lord at work in others lives. Think about ways to encourage people. Many believers struggle in their faith because they don't feel like the Lord is using them at all (I know I do). Be faithful to the Lord in drawing others attention to God's gracious activity in their lives.
Last but not least, remember the context of this verse. We have a great High Priest who has inaugurated a way for us to enter the holy place, where our hearts our sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Or how about this one, "For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him. Therefore let us encourage one another and build up one another, just as also you are doing." 1 Thess. 5:9-11. If your struggling to see the Lord at work in others lives, just point them to the Gospel, the good news of Christ absorbing God's wrath in our place. You will find no greater encouragement than what you find in the gospel. Thanks be to God, who delivered us from darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, and the forgiveness of sins.
Thought, comments? Let me know what you think. I told you I would post something spiritual soon, but I didn't even think it would be this long.
Sola Deo Gloria,
Ryan
2 comments:
What a huge blessing Ryan! I love really thinking about TRUE encouragement, and to prompt myself as a believer to consistently desire, look, and search for opportunities to encourage those around me!
Sounds like a good sermon...preach preachah!!! By the way, when I first read it, I thought you wrote that Jason 'smokes after every time you play.' HA! Thanks for the encouragement to encourage..here's to sounding more like Dad every day!! :)
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