A Daily Dose Of Encouragement

A Daily Dose of Encouragement

We love each other because he loved us first. If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their Christian brothers and sisters. 1 John 4:19-21

Joseph of Cyprus was a member of the early church. The name people used more often for him, Barnabas, meant “son of encouragement.” He apparently had a reputation for encouraging others. Maybe that’s why he was such a good companion for Paul on his missionary trips. Those journeys were long and hard, with a lot of obstacles and opposition every step of the way. A “son of encouragement” is exactly who you need in a situation like that.

Everyone needs a Barnabas—or several of them—in their lives. Life can be tough, and it helps when people encourage and lift us up. Not only do we need that for ourselves, we also need to offer it to others. We need to be a Barnabas when people around us are going through difficult times. That’s one way to live out the command to love each other, and Jesus said that love is the essence of all of God’s law. When we are encouragers, we are doing for others what we want them to do for us. And the more encouragement we give, the more we will likely receive.

Think about the opportunities you have to encourage someone. When you notice that someone did a good job, do you just make a mental note of it, or do you actually tell them? When your spouse or your kids are going through a hard time, do you only get discouraged about how it affects your home life, or do you take time to pour encouragement into them? When was the last time you sent flowers for no reason or did a favor out of the blue? When have you intentionally tried to create a positive memory for someone else?

We can choose to leave a trail of positive memories in the lives of people around us if we look beyond ourselves and take advantage of opportunities. Everyone needs encouragement, not only in difficult times but even when things are going well. We all need to hear positive words daily. Life is comprised of plenty of memories, but we can create good ones for those around us. Our encouragement can keep those around us going strong.

Uncommon Key > Be intentional about encouraging others. It lifts others up, and it lifts you up too. Let your life be an encouragement to everyone.