Encouragement

Encouragement

So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.

1 Thessalonians 5:11

Encouraging words stimulate our spirits. They give us a boost, brighten our day, and strengthen us for our tasks. Wow! All of that can be accomplished with a few encouraging words.

The other day my husband told me how much something I said had encouraged him. A few weeks ago I’d said, “I never take it for granted that we can talk about anything and everything. Our relationship feels as comfortable to me as an old pair of slippers.” Apparently, those twenty-or-so words meant more to him than I had realized.

When Moses’ leadership over the children of Israel was coming to a close, God asked him to encourage Joshua—God’s choice for a new leader. Part of God’s plan for equipping Joshua for leadership was accomplished through Moses’ encouragement. That is still God’s plan in our families today. What abundant opportunities we have in our homes to encourage our husbands and our children! Does your husband travel? Tuck a few cards in his suitcase—one for each day he’ll be gone. And don’t be fooled by age—even high school boys enjoy getting notes in their lunches! “Kind words,” said Mother Teresa, “can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.”

Father,

Thank you for people who have encouraged us. Help us to be encouraging to our families and friends. Amen.