New International Version (©2011) 1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
Part One – Encourage
Often we hear motivational speakers empowering self esteem through positive self reflective attitude. Telling yourself over and over again how smart, confident, thin, beautiful etc we are. And in telling yourself this multiple times a day you will in fact eventually believe it.
However when it comes from someone else we tend to listen and take on board the encouragement and notice that they have taken an interest in us. I think this is an important reason why we have been placed in a world full with people.
Encouragement between people comes on two separate spectrums. You could be a great encourager, having a positive spin and giving people the acknowledgement they deserve that you are not aware of.
The other is encouraging people ongoing-ly. This comes with being less self absorbed and more self aware. Noticing people and being some what intuitive to others lives. We all suffer with certain issues in our lives that if someone would just say a few positive words to you for a while, it would really make a difference. Going through a tough business situation, making difficult life decision, getting through the tough losses in life or going through a traumatic life altering situation. Wouldn’t it be nice that someone asks how your getting on, show and give you some positive influence and remembered that problems and issues don’t just fade away from one week to the next, it’s a shift we have to make that takes time. That small compliment or question, or note for concern that you could bring to someone’s day can change their life one step at a time.
So instead of knowing one week that a friend of yours is suffering and the next week they seem fine, remember that we aren’t always as they seem
and that the smallest spark of encouragement can bring the confidence and up liftment to their lives. A lot of the time we are unaware of the impact we make in people’s lives and because we don’t know we tend to practice this less.
Hebrews 13:2 – “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing, some have unwittingly entertained angels.”
If you were to ask every person you spent time with what they knew about you and what was happening in you life, and alternatively how much you knew about them, and how much could you tell them about how they were doing!
Relationships - “The way in which two or more concepts, objects, or people are connected, or the state of being connected.”
Are any of your relationships one-sided?
As I said be less self absorbed and more self conscious of others.
So even those small things that cross your mind when you see them or thoughts through the week that builds encouragement and confidence in who and how special they are in Christ. This is a practical process we need to start implementing in our lives.