THOUGHTS ON ENCOURAGEMENT

    He came from Cyprus—a Hebrew, from the tribe of Levi. His name was Joseph.  Most of us remember him only by the nickname given him by the apostles. They called him Barnabas. It means “son of encouragement.”
    The very first Christians in Jerusalem were known for sharing. Barnabas went beyond what was expected. He sold property he owned and gave the proceeds to the apostles for the poor, Acts 4:36. No doubt this action encouraged other Christians to follow his example, and led to the nickname he was given.
    When Saul, later known as the apostle Paul, returned to Jerusalem after his conversion, the local Christians were understandably reluctant to welcome him. They thought his conversion story was a trick. Only Barnabas, the “son of encouragement,” proved willing to risk his life to meet with Paul and then convince others that their former enemy was now an energetic believer in Jesus.
    Every group needs encouragers. Why don’t we all try to earn the nickname? There is a place and a time when everyone has an opportunity to encourage. Probably every day!
    Encourage your preacher. Let him know that the sermons he has been developing from the gospel of John to go along with the material used in our small groups have been excellent. Tell our youth minister how his work has affected our youth in a positive way. Don’t stop there. Encourage them both for their zeal, Christian lifestyle, etc. Let our Bible School teachers know that you appreciate their willingness to teach, and to spend the time in preparation. Tell our deacons, elders, and fellow Christians how much you appreciate them.
    Look for things to compliment others about. Then tell them verbally, send a note, or email—and (above all) pray for them. Get acquainted with fellow Christians you don’t know very well—and then encourage them on the good things you’ve learned. Become an encourager. You won’t regret it and the church will benefit greatly. God bless, Lloyd

“Praise is like sunlight to the human spirit: we cannot flower and grow without it.”