Have you ever heard a child talk about what they want to be when they grow up? Like maybe they dream about being an astronaut or a police officer. Or perhaps they dream about being a a super hero named SuperSlapAFool because they believe one day they will meet fools who just need a slap? Or maybe they want to invent a T-shirt made of potato chips so that when they watch TV they will have something to snack on. (both aspirations complements of Late Night With Jimmy Fallon) No matter what they say they want to do in life (sans being a murderer, thief, or anything that negatively impacts this world), we encourage them, right? Or at least we should. There is high percentage rate of success in children who have been affirmed and encouraged by their parents.
This past week I've been thinking a lot about encouragement and how it affects adults too. To encourage, to be encouraged. What does this really mean?
If encouragement inspires a fearless mindset and spirit within someone to accomplish what they've been created to do, then I pose this question:
Why is it so hard for us to encourage one another and say "If this is what you feel you are called to, then I believe in you and I will do what is in my power to help you."?
Did you ever just look a someone and just know that they were destined for greatness? If you haven't, you really should ask God to be able to see people through his eyes. We can't just assume that people know that we have "The Force" and use Jedi Mind Tricks to complement them with our thoughts. This "encouraging" thing actually requires us to focus on others, open our mouths to edify them, and then keep good on our word (Matt. 5:37 let your yes be your yes).
"Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus.." Phil. 2:4,5
Many of us end up "fishing" for encouragement by putting ourselves down. It's like we walk around saying, "I feel like such a poopy-pants. All I do is poop my pants all day long and nothin' else" just so someone will come along and say "you're not a poopy-pants. You're a WONDERFUL pants!" It's not like we really feel this way about ourselves, but for some reason this seems like the only way to illicit positive reinforcement from one another. I've noticed very little encouraging words are said to those who look like they don't need it. But everyone needs it. It's natural. And we all should naturally be lifting each other up ALL the time. Imagine how successful and how far those around you can go! Imagine how motivated you get when you actually believe that people believe in you! This is unity at it's best.
And most importantly, for those of us who have felt very little encouragement lately, here's a friendly reminder. You have an eternal Encourager and his name is Jesus. Instead of wallowing in the spirit of Eeyore (you know, the donkey from Winnie the Pooh), we should put on the mind of Christ. He is who we should always look to first and foremost because in return we will always be invigorated, encouraged, and strengthened.
"May Jesus himself and God our Father, who reached out in love and surprised you with gifts of unending help and confidence, put a fresh heart in you, invigorate your work and enliven your speech." 2 Thess 2:16,17 MSG
My point to all this is: We should always be getting our encouragement and self-worth from God. But on the flip side, we are representations of God on this earth, who should be loving, championing, and encouraging each other to fulfill our destiny's not just with our thoughts, but with our words and actions. Remember the scriptures say that the power of life and death is in the tongue (Proverbs 18:21), not the mind.
"I try to be as true to my word as God is to his. Our word to you wasn't a careless yes cancelled by an indifferent no. How could it be? When Silas and Timothy and I proclaimed the Son of God among you, did you pick up on any yes-and-no, on-again, off-again waffling? Wasn't it a clean, strong Yes? Whatever God has promised gets stamped with the Yes of Jesus. In him, this is what we preach and pray, the great Amen, God's Yes and our Yes together, gloriously evident. God affirms us, making us a sure thing in Christ, putting his yes within us. By his Spirit he has stamped us with his eternal pledge- a sure beginning of what he is destined to complete." 2 Cor. 1:18-22 MSG
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